Under Again
by katzsoa
Summary: Alice is brought back to Underland a month after she left the second time, and arrives in the midst of conspiracy, insanity, love -of course-, and a race against time to find the truth.  Now has an epilogue!
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: **This is a sequel to Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland. I do not own the characters, that would be either Lewis Carroll or Tim Burton, take your pick. However, some of the poetry and rhymes are mine.

"Chessur! I know you're there, Ches, now come out!" Mallymkun hissed.

The Cheshire Cat lazily materialized above the Dormouse.

"Well, well, now _someone _seems to be in a touchy mood," he said, displaying his signature grin.

"This isn't the time to joke, Chessur," said the impatient Dormouse. "It's about Tarrant—I mean Hatter. He's been behaving… oddly."

The Cat cocked his head at the Dormouse. "Well, he _is_ mad, as I'm sure we've all acknowledged at some point."

Mallymkun shook her head. "It's not that. It's odder than usual. Ever since the White Queen summoned him he's hardly said anything that makes sense, not even to me or Thackery. He won't tell us what she said to him. Last night I saw him stumbling around outside in the dark, trying to make hats out of stones and tree bark!"

Chessur laughed, rolling over in the air.

"I'm serious, Chessur," Mallymkun said. "Something's wrong. I know it."

"All right," said the Cat nonchalantly. "Something's wrong, and you know it. Now what are you going to do about it?"

The Dormouse sighed, sitting down on a nearby rock. "That's just it. I don't know. No one's seen Absolem for a month now, and it's useless trying to talk to anyone else around here about it. "

The Cheshire Cat thought for a moment, evaporating and materializing on the ground in front of the Dormouse.

"You could just drop, you know," Mallymkun pointed out.

"But evaporating is so much more fun!" said the Cat. "Tell you what. If it makes you feel better, I'll talk to Hatter; try to get into his head, strange place that it is."

"Thank you, Chessur," Mallymkun said as the Cat disappeared once again.

* * *

The Mad Hatter was pacing back and forth in his bedroom when Chessur found him.

"Good evening, Hatter," said the Cat, appearing in the air at head-height. Hatter nodded slightly, but gave no other sign that he'd noticed the Cat.

"Things have been pretty quiet since the Red Queen was banished, haven't they?" Chessur said, staying in front of Hatter despite his pacing. "I sometimes get bored. Danger helps make life interesting, does it not?"

Hatter stopped. "What do you want, Chessur?" he said in a flat voice.

"Who said I wanted anything?" the Cat replied. "It could be that I just felt like a chat and noticed that you were up."

Hatter walked over to the window and stared out of it at the sky. "Twinkle, twinkle, little bat," he sang. "How I wonder where you're at."

"A lovely tune," Chessur commented, watching Hatter carefully.

"Once a lifetime, then again, never sometimes, first a when," Tarrant recited as though from memory. "Lift up high and crush below, shroud in darkness, brightest glow." He seemed to have completely forgotten the Cat. "Unify and drive away, will arise another day."

_He's mad, but he's not crazy,_ thought the Cat. _Mallymkun's right. Something's wrong._

"See here, Tarrant, I—" he began.

"GONE!" the Hatter shouted suddenly, lashing out at Chessur, who evaporated to avoid the blow. He materialized again a few feet away.

"ALL GONE!" Tarrant shouted again, upending a bookshelf. "HER FAULT! SHE'LL PAY! THEY'LL BOTH PAY! _EVERYONE WILL PAY!_"

The Cheshire Cat made his exit, appearing again next to Mallymkun.

"Well?" she asked.

"I don't know," admitted the Cat. "But you're right. Something _is_ wrong with Tarrant."

"What do we do?" asked the nervous Dormouse. "Who do we go to?"

Suddenly the answer hit the Cat, and he grinned even wider than usual.

"Alice," he said.

The Dormouse, who had been so open one moment, shut tight again the next. "No. Not her."

"Typical. You all complain that I never help anyone, but when I try to it is not accepted." Chessur sighed. "Come on, Mallymkun. Like you said, there's no one around here to go to. Alice is the only Overland person to ever come here, and she's Tarrant's friend. She's our best bet."

Mallymkun thought for a few moments. Eventually worry for Tarrant won over the opposition in her mind, and she nodded.

"Should we send Nivens to fetch her?" Chessur suggested.

"No need to pull anyone else into this until it's completely necessary," said the Dormouse. "I'll go."

"_Fairfarren_, Mallymkun," the Cat called after the Dormouse as she ran off, using the Resistance's Outlandish word for farewell.

**Author's Note: **In case you were wondering: Thackery is the March Hare and Nivens is the White Rabbit. Outlandish is the language the Underland Resistance used as a code when the Red Queen was in power. It's in the original screenplay but didn't completely end up in the movie.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note:** Thanks to those of you who have added this story to your favorites and alerts list already! I'd appreciate your reviews. Disclaimer: I do not own the characters.

Alice smiled, letting the sea breeze toss her hair. It felt good to be traveling! In just a few more days they would reach China, and she'd be able to start her father's trading company there. Of course, she was a bit nervous. She'd never been outside of London before. But it felt like the right thing to do. Ever since her non-engagement party she'd felt happy and full of possibilities.

Lord Ascot was probably wondering where she was. The nineteen-year-old turned away from the horizon and went below decks, smiling politely at the sailors as she passed them.

She walked down the narrow hallway, looking for Lord Ascot's cabin. Suddenly, something small darted across the floor in front of her and around the corner.

_A mouse?_ Alice thought. She hadn't seen any sign of rats or mice on the ship the whole voyage. But there it was again, this time sitting and looking up at her. It _was_ a mouse, Alice realized. But it was wearing a red jacket and riding breeches, and had a hatpin on its belt like a sword. Alice got down on her knees to get a better look.

"It's about time you showed up," complained the mouse.

"D-Did you just _talk?_" Alice gasped.

"Of course I can talk, Alice," said the mouse. "What did you expect?"

"How do you know my name?" Alice demanded.

"Hatter was right," the mouse sighed. "You did forget us. But there must be some way to make you remember…" It thought for a moment, and then its eyes lit up. "Got it!"

The mouse jumped up Alice's arm and drew its hatpin, slashing through the sleeve of Alice's dress before she could protest.

There they were. Three scars, side by side on her arm. _Bandersnatch scars!_

Memories rushed back into Alice's mind, as they did every time she saw the scars.

"Mallymkun!"

"There you go, much better," Mallymkun said. "Now let's go already!"

"Go?" Alice asked. "Go where?"

"Back to Underland, of course," said the Dormouse. "Chessur sent me to fetch you."

"But I'm on my way to China!" the girl protested.

"Something's wrong with Hatter, Alice. We need your help, if you have any to give."

Alice froze. "How do we get to Underland?" she asked.

"This way," Mallymkun pointed to where the wall met the floor. There Alice saw a small mouse hole. Mallymkin ran up to it.

"You wouldn't happen to have any _pishsalver_ on you, would you?" Alice asked, eyeing the tiny entrance.

"No. Why do you ask?" said the Dormouse.

"I'm too big! How am I supposed to fit?"

"How did you fit in the rabbit hole? Last I checked you were a few sizes larger than Nivens."

"A rabbit hole's bigger than a mouse hole…" Alice thought about it. "Well, I was looking in the hole, trying to see where Nivens had gone, and I sort of fell in."

"Well, try falling in again," said the Dormouse, stepping out of the way.

Alice leaned forward, imagining that the hole was in the floor and not the wall, and that it was big enough to fit in…and, all of a sudden, it was!

"Whoa!" Alice was falling again, through a long tunnel like last time, with various objects stuck on the walls. Tables, bookshelves, cupboards, and even a piano seemed to fly by as her descent increased in speed. Then she hit bottom with a thump. Mallymkun landed on top of her a few seconds later.

"I don't think I'll ever get used to that fall," Alice said.

"Well, with any luck you won't ever fall down here again," Mallymkun muttered under her breath.

"What did you say?"

"I said we'd better get moving," the Dormouse said irritably.

Alice sat up and looked around. They weren't in the room of doors she'd seen the last time. Instead there were several tunnels stretching outward in every direction.

"This way," said the Dormouse, heading down one of the tunnels. Alice followed quickly.

"What's wrong with Hatter?" she asked.

"It's hard to explain," Mallymkun said.

"Try."

"Well, a few days ago, the White Queen summoned Hatter to her castle," told the Dormouse. "He returned the day after, and he's been behaving oddly ever since. He won't talk to anyone. Half the time he's wandering around, speaking in riddles, and the rest of the time he's so angry and violent no one can stand near him. Chessur says his room is in shambles. Apparently Hatter tried to knock a bookcase on him."

Alice shuddered slightly. Hatter's violent behavior reminded her of the few times she'd seen him lose control, once at the tea party and again in the Red Queen's castle.

"Weren't the nonsense riddles a façade to keep the Red Queen and Knave off your backs?" Alice asked.

"They were," Mallymkun said grimly. "That's why I'm—that's why _we're_ worried, Chessur and I."

They had reached the end of the tunnel. Sunlight illuminated the scene, and Alice had to pause.

"It's so beautiful," she commented. When she'd last left Underland, it was mostly a dying wasteland with the clouds just beginning to part. Now, everything was colorful and bright, with signs of life in every direction. It was much like when she'd arrived the first time, thirteen years previously, before the Red Queen had found the Jabberwock and destroyed most of Underland and its inhabitants.

"It is, isn't it?" said a voice coming from thin air.

"Chessur!"

The Cheshire Cat's grin was unusually wide as his head materialized near Alice's.

"Things have mostly cleared up since Frabjous Day," said the Cat. "Everything's quiet now," he added to the Dormouse. "I think he's asleep. It's hard to tell, though. I don't dare go inside again."

"Take me to him," Alice said determinedly. _I will help you, my friend, _she thought silently.


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: **Do I really need to post a disclaimer here? You all know by now that I am not Lewis Carroll or Tim Burton. But Tarrant's rhymes are bits of my own poems.

Hatter's house was the windmill near which she had met him at the tea party, Alice realized. The tea table was not set, unusually.

"Where's the March Hare?" Alice asked.

"He's somewhere," Mallymkun said. "Thackery's pretty good at taking care of himself, most of the time."

"Be careful, Alice," Chessur said, showing a rare moment of concern as the girl headed towards the front door. "He's unpredictable."

Alice pushed open the door quietly, glancing around inside. The first room was full of random items, strewn everywhere. An empty picture frame, a broken glass bottle, and a miniature wagon wheel were among the things she saw.

She cautiously entered the next room, Tarrant's bedroom. He had forgone the bed, having fallen asleep sitting against the wall beneath the window. His head was between his knees.

_He looks so peaceful now, _Alice thought. But there was the telltale bookcase, on its side, with its contents all over the floor.

_What am I supposed to do? I hate feeling useless._

Alice turned to leave.

"Alice?"

She turned back. Hatter was awake, looking at her with a confused expression on his face.

"Hatter!" Alice said.

"What are you doing here?" Hatter asked, standing up.

"Mallymkun and Chessur were worried about you," Alice told him. "Is everything all right?"

Hatter looked down at his hands, which he kept clasping and unclasping.

"Shimmer, shimmer, all the day," he said. "Glimmer, glimmer all the way."

"…Hatter?"

"Thinner, thinner, you will rot," Tarrant continued. "Simmer, simmer in my pot."

"Hatter? Can you hear me, Hatter?" Alice asked.

"Can't be seen nor heard nor smelt," Tarrant chanted as he turned back towards the window. "Not by hand but heart is felt. Not a cut that loses blood. Makes you feel worse than mud."

_It's like he's forgotten I'm here, _Alice thought.

"When their laughter fills the air, there is nothing sweeter there," Tarrant sighed. "Wrath of demon, wit of snake, depth and mystery of lake."

Suddenly he whirled around, staring at Alice in the eyes. "She knew what she was doing, you know," he said, his voice now having a Scottish tone. "She knew nothing good would come of it in the long run."

"Who knew, Hatter?" Alice asked. "What did she know?"

"If only you knew…" Hatter hissed. "If only you knew…"

"I'm trying to help you, Hatter," Alice said. "Would please tell me what's going on? What did the White Queen tell you that day?"

"The White Queen?"

"Yes, Hatter, the White Queen. What did she say?"

Tarrant lunged at Alice, grabbing her by the arm as she tried to back away. She struggled, feeling his fingers tighten. His eyes were bloodshot and golden, and full of a fury that scared her. Finally she managed to pull away, and fled the house.

"Well?" Mallymkun asked as Alice approached.

"It was like he kept switching back and forth between someone who knew where he was and what was going on and someone who didn't," Alice said. "He didn't like me mentioning the White Queen…" She glanced at her arm. There were slight bruises on her wrist where Hatter had grabbed her.

Mallymkun felt a surge of triumph when she saw the bruises, but she didn't let it show.

"At one point he kept going on about how someone 'knew what she was doing' and that 'nothing good would come of it.'" Alice said. "Do you think he meant the White Queen?"

"It's possible…" said the Cat. "Maybe you should go to Marmoreal and ask her."

Alice nodded. "Tomorrow," she said. "It's getting dark now, and Marmoreal's a fair walk from here."

"I'm coming, too," announced the Dormouse.

* * *

Alice was just lying down under a tree when she detected a familiar smell. The Bandersnatch lay down beside her contently.

"Well, that saves the problem of walking," Alice said drowsily.

"And it will be much faster to ride than a human," Mallymkun muttered.

"Oh, go to sleep, Mally," Chessur said as he drifted by.

"Don't call me Mally!" the Dormouse snapped.

"Why not? You let Tarrant call you Mally."

Mallymkun rolled over in a huff. The Cat smiled to himself knowingly.

* * *

Later that night, Mallymkun got up. With a quick glance around she decided that the others were fast asleep and headed over to Hatter's house. She scaled the wall easily, sitting on the windowsill. Hatter was stirring restlessly in his sleep. Mallymkun crept closer. She was afraid for him. Tarrant Hightopp had been through a lot, not the least of which was his being the only surviving member of the Hightopp family after the Red Queen and Jabberwocky attacked Witzend. Mallymkun could relate to that—most of her brothers, sisters, and cousins hadn't survived, either. As for the rest of her family, she wasn't entirely sure where they were. She hadn't been a very good correspondent while in the Underland Resistance.

_It's sad to be all alone, isn't it, Tarrant? _the Dormouse thought, stepping onto the bedpost. _But it's not so bad when you're around… I wish—_

Her thoughts were cut off by Hatter sitting up abruptly and throwing a pair of scissors at her. Mallymkun dove out of the way, barely avoiding them and getting a scratch on her tail. Suddenly Chessur was there, grabbing her and rushing her outside.

"What were you _thinking?_" he hissed furiously, setting her down on the branch of a nearby tree. "Are you trying to get yourself killed? What were you trying to prove? That you're a love-struck idiot?"

The Dormouse looked up sharply at that last comment.

"You might as well make up your mind about it," said the Cat. "One moment you're acting like you don't care what Tarrant's fate is, the next you're drawing your hatpin every time he sees a female!"

"Oh, shut it," Mallymkun muttered, fiddling with her tail.

"From one animal to another, Mallymkun, I'm worried about you probably more than I'm worried about Tarrant," Chessur said. "With him it's easy to tell that he's not in his right mind. You're just a tad more deceptive about it."

"There's no need to worry about me, Chessur," the Dormouse said. "I can handle my own private thoughts, thank you very much!"

The Cat shrugged, turning away.

"Chessur!" Mallymkun cried out suddenly.

"Yes?"

"Do you think that she—Alice, I mean—do you think that Tarrant—oh, I don't know what I'm asking you!" she sighed.

"But I think I know," said the Cat. "And my answer is, it's unlikely and you shouldn't let such thoughts cloud your judgment. It's very likely that there's something going on that we don't know about, and you're going to need your wits about you.

"And don't worry about Tarrant, either," he continued. "I'll be keeping an eye on him."

"Thank you, Ches," Mallymkun said.

"Now, that's just not fair," said the Cat with a grin. "I can't call you Mally, but you can call me Ches?"

Mallymkun chuckled herself to sleep.

**Author's Note: **Please review, people! I can tell that you all are reading my story but not what you think of it! Constructive criticism will really help me write better!


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note: **I'm sorry for going so long without an update! I've been busy with my school musical…

Alice woke early. As she watched the sun rise in the east, she wondered momentarily how time passed in Underland relative to in Overland. Evidently days had passed in both lands while she had been in Overland, but she always seemed to return home without anyone noticing she'd been gone for more than a few seconds.

Mallymkun was already up and waiting. "Are you ready to go?" she asked.

"Yes," said Alice, climbing onto the Bandersnatch. Mallymkun jumped up to her shoulder.

"To Marmoreal," Alice told the Bandersnatch, pointing east, towards the rising sun. With a growl of acknowledgement, the Bandersnatch bounded off.

* * *

Indeed, Underland was much more lively than it had ever been before, Alice noted as they traveled. Flowers and grass were starting to grow over the areas demolished by the Jabberwocky, and they passed several new small towns being built for those who had lived in the Red Queen's castle as her courtiers.

"Is Underland becoming what it was before the Red Queen took over, Mallymkun?" she asked.

"Yes. Don't you remember what it was like?" said the Dormouse. "The first time you came was after the Red Queen had started her invasion, but not much had been destroyed yet. Then again, you never went to Witzend."

"Hatter told me it was completely destroyed by the Jabberwocky," Alice said. "Had you ever been there before that?"

"Been there?" Mallymkun laughed, but there was no amusement in her voice. "I was _born_ there. I remember the Jabberwocky attack all too well."

"How did you escape?" Alice asked.

"By moving very quickly," was the reply. "But I didn't go far. After the Jabberwocky left, I went back to see what was left. That's when I met Hatter. I'd seen him around before that, but humans and animals didn't interact much before it became necessary to join together against the Red Queen."

"What about your family?" Alice asked. "Did they escape the Jabberwocky?"

"No."

The Dormouse was very quiet for the rest of the journey. Soon the castle of the White Queen rose up before them. The chess-piece soldiers at the gate parted to let them by. As Alice dismounted the Bandersnatch, a family of bloodhounds ran up to them.

"Alice!" Bayard called.

"Hello, Bayard," Alice said, bending down to scratch him behind the ears.

"I never introduced you to my wife, Bielle," Bayard said. Girl and dog nodded in greeting. "And my pups: Bruce, Benny, Barney, and Bessie."

"That's nice, but we're here to see the White Queen," Mallymkun muttered to Alice, not willing to be deterred.

Alice excused herself and headed into the castle, escorted by a pawn. The chessman said nothing as usual, leading her to the throne room. As they neared the end of the hallway, the pawn left them. Mallymkun, on a hunch, scurried down Alice and to the floor.

"What are you—?" Alice began.

"Shh!" Mallymkun hissed, crouching behind Alice's foot. "Ask to speak with the Queen alone. Don't tell her I'm here!"

Shaking her head at the Dormouse's seemingly increasing paranoia, Alice entered the throne room. Mirana, the White Queen sat in her throne at the other end of the room, and her courtiers lined the aisle up to her.

"Alice," Mirana said, rising and smiling at the Overland girl. "How nice it is to see you back in Underland."

"If I may speak with you alone, your majesty?" Alice asked respectfully.

"Of course," said the White Queen. "If you will excuse us?" she added to her courtiers, who left the room. Under the cover of their exit, Mallymkun dodged behind a pillar.

"What is troubling you, my dear?" the White Queen asked.

"Chessur and Mallymkun have told me that you summoned Hatter to your castle a few days ago," Alice said.

"Hatter was very active in the resistance against my sister's reign," said the Queen. "I like to thank those who help me."

"Yes," Alice said. "But since then, Hatter has been… very upset, I guess. He's been speaking in riddles and he hardly responds to anyone without trying to hurt them."

Mirana frowned slightly. "How odd," she said. "I couldn't say why."

"What did you talk about?" Alice pressed.

The Queen seemed to hesitate. Then she stared Alice in the eyes.

"It was nothing that merits your concern," she said in a slow and deliberate voice. "Hatter will be fine. There is nothing wrong."

Mallymkun watched in growing concern as she saw Alice relax, smiling blissfully and nodding at the Queen.

"I would appreciate it if you would stay here as a guest," Mirana said. "The room you used the last time is unoccupied."

"Thank you, your majesty," Alice said, bowing and turning to leave. The Queen watched her carefully as she left. She turned away as the doors closed, so she didn't notice the Dormouse escaping between the nearly-closed doors.

* * *

"Alice!" Mallymkun called, trying to catch up with the girl as she went down the hall towards her room. Alice didn't seem to hear, and for the second time that day, the Dormouse had to dodge through a closing door.

"Alice! Can you hear me?" Mallymkun said, jumping up Alice's dress to her hand.

"Oh, hello, Mallymkun," Alice said in a distracted sort of way.

"Alice, we've got to do something!"

"The Queen said everything was fine." the human said.

"I don't think we can trust the Queen, Alice," Mallymkun insisted.

"You worry too much," Alice laughed, setting the Dormouse down on the windowsill. "Isn't it a lovely day?" she sighed, gazing out the window.

"Will you stop being so cheerful?" Mallymkun's voice had a snarl to it. "You're driving me crazy."

"Crazy? _Mad_ would be more appropriate," Alice giggled. "Mad as a hatter…"

Mallymkun drew her hatpin and angrily stabbed Alice's hand.

"Ow!" Alice cried, yanking her hand away and eyeing the cut, which was bleeding a little. "What was that for?" she demanded.

"Are you really so dense?" the Dormouse shouted, her voice rising in pitch to almost a squeak in her agitation. "Don't you care at all about what's happening? Don't you care about _Tarrant?_ Because right now it seems that I'm the only one in Underland that cares for him! Why did I think bringing you here would help anything? Why don't you just go back to Overland, where you belong, and leave us alone? I don't need you! I don't need anyone!"

The two stood staring at each other, neither saying a word for a while after Mallymkun's outburst.

"…So my guess was right. You _do_ love him," Alice finally said.

Mallymkun looked furious with herself, then sharply turned away from Alice. "It's none of your business what I think," she muttered.

"Are you worried that _I _love him? Mallymkun!" Alice got on her knees, putting herself at the same level as the Dormouse. "He's like a brother to me, the brother I never had. I care about him—but not the way that you do!"

"Really?" Mallymkun asked, turning her head to face Alice.

"Really," Alice said. The Dormouse looked immensely relieved, then got right back to business.

"I think that the Queen hypnotized you, or something like that," she said. "She didn't answer your questions, and you were okay with it."

Alice frowned. "All I remember is that things were good when the Queen was looking into my eyes," she said. "I think you snapped me out of it, though. Thanks for that. But if we can't trust the Queen, then who can we trust?"

"Who's the only person in Underland who would willingly say anything bad about the White Queen?" Mallymkun said, an idea forming in her mind.

"Her sister," Alice gasped. "You're not suggesting—?"

"Oh, but I am," said the Dormouse. "You should ride the Bandersnatch to the Outlands and speak with Iracebeth of Crims. I'll stay here and look around. I'll see what I can find."

Alice nodded. "Be careful," she said, standing up.

"Alice," Mallymkun said, pointing to the corner. There stood a suit of armor—the suit Alice had worn as the White Queen's Champion. In its gauntlets was the Vorpal Sword. "The sword may come in handy."

"You're the better swordswoman," Alice said, taking the sword and turning to leave.

"I'm already armed," Mallymkun said with a little smile. "And, Alice?" she said again. The human stopped with one hand on the doorknob, looking back at the Dormouse.

"Yes, Mallymkun?" she asked.

"_Fairfarren_, Alice," Mallymkun said.

Alice smiled. The animosity between them was gone.


	5. Chapter 5

Mirana stood behind her throne, staring out the window and thinking. It had been an error to bring Hatter here. Then again, the truth he had uncovered had shattered him so completely that any threat he once had been, he no longer was. If only those irksome animals hadn't brought Alice back! The girl was smart—too smart. Then again, at the moment she was daydreaming in her bedroom. It would be easy to dispose of her later. It would be best to dispose of Hatter before anything else went wrong.

* * *

Mallymkun had reached a part of the castle she'd never been in before. This hallway was oddly bare, without doors or windows. There was very little decoration of any kind, too. _Strange._

Slowly, the Dormouse walked down the hall, one paw against the wall. She wasn't sure what she was looking for, but she had a feeling that it, whatever it was, was nearby.

Her fingertips met a crack in the wall. It was almost invisible to the naked eye, but she followed its path up the wall. It went straight up, and then turned horizontal at about human-head-height. After a short path, it came down again.

_A door_ was Mallymkun's first thought. _A _secret_ door. But how do you open it?_

She pushed against the wall, but nothing happened. She pulled at the crack, but it was too thin to fit even her tiny fingers into it.

The Dormouse glanced around. The only thing near was a vase with a single white rose in it. Mallymkun climbed up the side of the vase, using the wall to brace herself against its smooth surface. Now at the top, she could tell that the flower was a fake. She tugged at its stem experimentally. She heard a faint click, and the door in the wall opened, revealing a staircase descending into darkness. Mallymkun triumphantly started her way down, the door closing behind her.

* * *

Alice dismounted the Bandersnatch, which sagged, panting heavily.

"Sorry," she said, petting its side. She had pushed it too hard in their rush across Underland. The Outlands were in the far west, past Crims and Witzend. Alice left the Bandersnatch, who was lying down for a nap, and started up a nearby hill.

The Outlands were very barren. There was almost no foliage, only dry, thorny bushes. But there was no shortage of rocks. It was no mystery to Alice why this was a place to banish people, as the Red Queen had done to the Resistance originally. Now, this was where Iracebeth of Crims and her Knave, Ilosovic Stayne, were forced to stay.

Alice came across the defeated pair quickly. They were handcuffed together and a chain extended from one of each of their legs to the boulder they sat against. Alice could have honestly said that she'd never seen a sorrier pair. They were completely filthy, looking like they hadn't had a bath or even changed their clothes since Frabjous Day. The Red Queen glanced up as Alice approached, but lowered her head again just as quickly when she saw who it was. Alice caught a glimpse of cleaner streaks through the dirt on her face, likely from tears.

_Serves her right, _she thought.

"Alice!" Stayne gasped, staring at her through unkempt hair. "Thank the stars! You don't know who good it is to see you, how horrible it has been without you—"

"Be silent," Alice said.

"And yet you speak to me, although it is forbidden—" the Knave tried again. This time, Alice drew the Vorpal Sword and pointed it at his throat. She hadn't forgiven or forgotten the unwelcome advances he'd made on her once before.

"I'm not here for you," she said. "Now, shut up."

She turned to the Red Queen. "I need to ask you some questions," she said.

"First, tell me why I have any reason to answer you," the Red Queen said, her voice cracking like she hadn't used it at all for several days. She cleared her throat and continued. "You deceived me, you manipulated my sympathies, you killed my Jabberwocky and turned Underland over to my sister…"

"It's your sister I want to ask you about," Alice said, thinking about what exactly to ask. "Why do you hate her?" she finally chose.

The Red Queen looked up at her, one eyebrow slightly raised on her expansive forehead.

"I'm not here on her orders, Iracebeth," Alice said. "It's possible that she's trying to hurt my friends. I'm confused and there's no one else to go to. I need your help."

The Red Queen was staring wide-eyed at Alice. "You need my help…?" she whispered.

"Yes, I do."

A tear rolled down Iracebeth's cheek, making the dirt in its path run.

"You don't know—you couldn't _possibly _know how long I've waited to hear someone say something like that to me," she said.

"Then tell me," Alice urged. "It has to do with the White Queen, doesn't it?"

The Red Queen nodded. "She always was the perfect child," she began. "She was the pretty baby princess. Everyone and everything loved her, even I. _Especially _I."

"What happened?" Alice asked.

"She always liked to experiment," Iracebeth continued. "She was twelve, and I was maybe fifteen at the time. That day, she made the mistake of using me as a test subject. The next thing I knew, I had _this._" She touched her free hand to the side of her bulbous head.

"But I gained something else, too. Suddenly, I saw my sister for the conniving devil she truly was. She got everything she wanted, and made people believe what she wanted them to. They all thought that they behaved of their own free will—I knew otherwise. All it took was to make eye contact…Once she discovered that I had become immune to her charms, she made sure that I was treated horribly.

"Her creations grew. She invented pishsalver and upelkuchen, and when she became bored of the praise they got her she moved on to living things. They were horrible dark things with claws and glowing, red eyes. She would send them to my room at night to scare me, or use them to punish people who didn't serve her to her satisfaction. If they were discovered, she would make those who'd seen them forget or, if she was in the mood, blame me. But I was growing up, too. I found my own way to get what I wanted. I made people afraid of me. Only then would they obey me. Only then was I in control of my life!

"The years passed. Against all tradition, my sister—the younger—was crowned queen. Everyone was happy. I was not. At first she kept me always where she could keep me under her control, but eventually she would banish me to the Outlands. One day, before I left, I went down to her dungeons. There I saw people and animals that had displeased her. She did nothing directly to them—that was against the vows she'd made to improve her image when she became Queen. But some of them she had fed to her creatures. Others she just left down there. They sat and wasted away, all the while smiling and laughing contently…"

The Red Queen shuddered at the memory. "I had to do something, but all I could do was use people's fear. So I took the most powerful of my sister's creatures and tamed it. With it I formed my army in the Outlands, and when the time was right, I struck.

"I tried to keep order. I surrounded myself with unusual people, thinking that they could like me then, without my sister's whispering. But only violence worked. And my sister's influence was always there, building her Resistance, stealing the hearts of the ones I loved…"

Iracebeth sighed, hoarse from talking for so long after having spoken so little. "That is all I have to tell you," she said. "You of all people would know what happened next."

Alice shook her head. "I probably shouldn't believe any of this," she said. "But I do. What happened to Mirana's creatures?"

The Red Queen shrugged. "Most likely, they're still in her palace," she said. "Hidden underground, perhaps, awaiting her orders. The Jabberwocky are very loyal."

* * *

Mallymkun had reached the bottom of the staircase. She could hardly see in the dim torchlight, but she could hear things moving around and snarling. She glanced around warily, turning a corner.

The Dormouse halted, clapping a paw over her mouth to suppress a shriek of horror. She had entered a large room full of caged beasts, all darker than the room and so were visible. They were winged and clawed and scaled. Some were no bigger than her, while others could have rivaled the Bandersnatch. All of them had the same fiery-red eyes. Mallymkun remembered those eyes. She had seen them in person twice, on the Horunvendush and Frabjous Days.

_Jabberwocky!_

**Author's Note: **This is a long chapter, but I knew where I wanted to end it and Iracebeth's story was slightly longer than I expected. Please review!


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note: **My school musical is over now, so I have free afternoons again! Hooray! And a quick grammatical note: "Jabberwockies" sounds kind of weird to me, so I'm going to be using the word "Jabberwocky" like the word "sheep"—as both singular and plural. I hope it isn't too confusing.

Mallymkun darted back around the corner, heart pounding and mind racing. The White Queen kept Jabberwocky under her castle! Was this what Tarrant had discovered?

_"Her fault! She'll pay! They'll both pay!"_

_Did he mean…the Queen?_

Suddenly things made sense to the Dormouse. The Red Queen had used the Jabberwocky to kill the Hightopps. The Jabberwocky belonged to the White Queen. The White Queen could hypnotize you and make you believe things.

_The White Queen caused Horunvendush Day! _Mallymkun thought. _And we worked to help her… Is she at fault, or the Red Queen for actually doing the deed? Oh, Tarrant, you must be so confused…you were close to your family, and now you don't know who to blame…_

Footsteps. Someone was coming down the stairs! Mallymkun crouched down where the foot of the stairs met the wall, hoping that in the poor lighting and because of her size she would go unnoticed.

She glimpsed white silk as Mirana stepped over her. The Queen held a large ring of keys in one hand, and Mallymkun cautiously peeked after her around the corner.

"Hello, my darlings," Mirana crooned. The Jabberwocky yowled and screeched, scraping at the bars that held them back. A particularly snakelike one spat on the floor of its cage, and the floor sizzled and burned. The Acid-Spitter laughed darkly. Mallymkun watched in fear and revulsion.

"I have a favor to ask of you," the Queen said, jingling the keys. The Jabberwocky got even more riled up at the sound. "There is a man who lives in the Tulgey Woods. Dispose of him and anyone else that you find with him.

_Tarrant!_

Mallymkun was up the stairs and outside as fast as her legs could carry her. _I'll never make it to Tulgey Woods before the Jabberwocky on my own…_she thought, glancing around the courtyard. The bloodhounds were still around.

"Bayard!" the Dormouse called, running up to him. "Bayard, please, I need to get to Hatter's house, fast. Can you take me?"

"What's the matter, Mallymkun?" Bayard asked.

"There's no time. I'll tell you later. Please, Bayard!" she pleaded.

"Go on, dear," Bielle said.

Bayard lay down. "Jump on," he said.

Mallymkun leapt up, and the bloodhound sped off towards the Tulgey Woods.

* * *

"I suppose neither my sister nor I were ever really fit to be Queen," Iracebeth said. "I don't regret what I have done—far from it, in fact—but I probably deserve this exile for it."

Alice nodded, thinking, _But maybe you don't deserve to be chained and friendless._

"So, what did my sister do to make you come running to me?" the Red Queen asked.

Alice explained all that she knew.

"You should hurry back to Tulgey Woods," the Queen urged. "If I know Mirana, she's probably sent the Jabberwocky after Hatter by now, to eliminate him."

"Thank you, Iracebeth," Alice said, turning to run back down the hill.

"No, Alice," the Red Queen called to the receding figure. "Thank _you._"

"Wait!" Stayne cried. "Don't leave me here!"

"Oh, shut up!" Iracebeth snarled, some of her old spirit regained.

* * *

The moment Bayard reached Hatter's house, Mallymkun was off his back and in the door.

"What happened?" Chessur asked, materializing next to her. The Dormouse ignored him, running to Hatter's bedroom. He was standing by the bed, and looked down at her as she came in.

"Tarrant!" Mallymkun cried. "Tarrant, we've got to move! It's time to come back now, Tarrant. This has gone on long enough!"

The Hatter just stared at her blankly.

"I understand, Tarrant, you're upset and confused. White Queen, Red Queen, it doesn't matter right now! She's sent her Jabberwocky to kill you! All of them!"

"_Jabberwocky?_" Chessur gasped, glancing back at Bayard, who was just as alarmed.

"Tarrant, please, we don't have time," Mallymkun begged. "Please don't just let them kill you, Tarrant. I need you. Come back to me." She lowered her eyes, feeling foolish. _It's hopeless…_

"…Mally?"

Tarrant knelt down in front of the Dormouse.

"Tarrant…?" Mallymkun hardly dared to hope that he'd respond.

"Don't worry, Mally. I haven't been thinking clearly—but I am now. Thank you," the Hatter said, extending a hand and lightly touching her cheek. Mallymkun's heart skipped a beat.

"You said something about Jabberwocky," Bayard said.

"They're the White Queen's," Mallymkun said, mentally shaking herself back to seriousness and turning away from Hatter's hand. "She's ordered them to kill Tarrant and anyone else that they find here."

"I should tell you all to run and save yourselves," Hatter said, rising again. "But I know that you wouldn't listen."

He crossed over to the window. "Hasn't Alice here?"

"She's in the Outlands," Mallymkun answered.

"What's the plan?" Chessur asked.

"Running will do us no good. We'll have to fight them off," Mallymkun said, fingering the end of her hatpin.

"Here they come!"

All eyes turned to the sky. It seemed as though a dark cloud was swiftly descending on the clearing. The sun was almost completely blocked out. Tarrant and Mallymkun suppressed identical shudders. _It's just like the first time…_

"They're smaller," the Dormouse muttered. "We can take them."

"That we can," Hatter said, grinning devilishly at the Dormouse as he bent over and picking up a chair leg he'd broken off earlier.

His eyes were a bit too gold and his voice too accented to Mallymkun's liking. "Stay with me, Tarrant," she said.

The Jabberwocky circled lower, thrilled with the prospect of the kill. This was what they had been created to do—obey their Queen, and destroy what she wished them to.

There were their targets—four insignificant life-forms, exiting the building. None had been created, as they had been. They were weak. Hardly worthy foes, but the perfect prey.

"Kill," they hissed, and dove.

Everything was so chaotic that Mallymkun went mostly unaware of what the others were doing. She saw Bayard snapping at a Jabberwocky's leg, glimpsed Chessur evaporating at the last instant, causing the two Jabberwocky swooping down at him to collide, heard Tarrant's shout of triumph as he felled his opponents with a well-aimed bash to the head…

But she could only really focus on her own fight. Over the years, she had trained herself to overcome the barrier of size with precision strikes—the eyes, the ears, between the scales, the arteries in the neck—the hatpin found them all. The grass was damp and pink with Jabberwocky blood.

"Look out!"

One of the Jabberwocky that Chessur had thrown off-balance careened into the trees, claws slicing through the thick trunks as though they were ribbons. Mallymkun leapt out of the way as they came crashing down.

"Tarrant!"

Mallymkun ran back to the fallen trees. The Hatter's legs and one of his arms—the one with the stick—were trapped beneath the heavy trunks.

"_Shukm!_" he swore, struggling to free himself, in vain.

"Tarrant…!"

An opportunistic Jabberwocky chose that moment to go in for the kill. Mallymkun leapt up onto the fallen tree and stopped it with a quick jab to the jugular. But still more came. The Dormouse didn't give an inch, slicing and stabbing, protecting Tarrant.

Suddenly, a whip-like tail, slapped her from behind, and she whirled to face the Acid-Spitter. It hissed and lunged down at her. The Dormouse thrust her hatpin between its eyes. It screeched in pain, and as it pulled away, its saliva dripped on her eyes.

Mallymkun screamed, stumbling backwards and dropping her hatpin. She wiped furiously at her eyes, trying to clear them. They felt like they were on fire! The world went dark, then very bright, then dark again.

"Tarrant!" she screamed, glancing around wildly, dizzy with pain. "Tarrant! I'm _blind!_"


	7. Chapter 7

"Mally, duck!" Tarrant yelled.

The Dormouse dove forward. She felt a slight breeze as the Jabberwocky passed mere millimeters over her head.

"It's coming back!" she heard Hatter call.

_Where's my hatpin?_

Her fingers found it, stinging where they touched the metal—the acid was burning her hands, too. Trying to stifle this most recent addition to her cacophony of pain, she straightened, turning towards where she thought the Jabberwocky was.

"More to your left!" Tarrant said. Mallymkun moved accordingly. "That's it…now!"

The Dormouse stabbed, and she heard the Jabberwocky scream as she punctured its eye. She pulled back as fast as she could, trying to avoid losing her weapon again.

"Bare neck!" called the Hatter as the Jabberwocky reared up in pain and confusion. Mallymkun struck again, this time feeling warm blood splash onto her hands.

It felt like an eternity for the Dormouse as she struggled to focus on Tarrant's voice. It was her single lifeline in a sea of pain…

"Careful, Mally… On your right… Easy target, no scales…"

Almost every motion was excruciating. Mallymkun wanted to collapse and put herself at the mercy of unconsciousness. But she kept on…

With a tremendous roar, the Bandersnatch bounded into the clearing. On its back was Alice, furiously swinging the Vorpal Sword. The Jabberwocky screamed and scattered, forced to face the one thing that they were made to fear. Chessur and Bayard found themselves suddenly without opposition, and they followed Alice to help pick off the stragglers. Mallymkun still stood at attention, breathing hard and trembling with the effort of standing.

"Mally, relax," Tarrant said soothingly. "It's all right. They're gone now. Alice is chasing them off."

The Dormouse sagged, dropping her hatpin again as she fell to her knees and then to her face. For a few moments, she was in the cold embrace of senselessness, but was roused again by the sound of Hatter calling her name. She heaved herself to all fours, dragging herself to the edge of the tree, where she fell into Tarrant's hand.

"You were incredible, Mally," Hatter whispered.

"Tarrant…?" her voice came out in a whimper. "Tarrant…?"

"I'm right here, Mally."

The Hatter slowly turned his hand, looking at the Dormouse's face. The skin around her eyes was horribly burned, and the eyes themselves hardly looked like eyes anymore. Tarrant was no doctor, but he thought that her wounds could be very serious.

"Tarrant, I—I need to tell you something…" Mallymkun was delirious and half-conscious. This was the only clear thought in her head.

"Just rest, Mally. It can wait."

"No…it can't…not any more…" The Dormouse took in a shuddering breath. "I know it…it's not something that could…that could work. I mean…well, you're a man, and I'm just a…and there are far better and, and prettier girls…but I love you, Tarrant, I love you so incredibly much that…could you please at least say, whether it's true or…or not…that you love me, too?"

Mallymkun lowered her head, wishing that she could see his face. _I've completely lost it. _She felt like she was struggling to keep her head above water, but it was an endless ocean of pain and embarrassment…

"Could I _say_ that I love you?" Despite his surprise and concern, Tarrant laughed softly. Mallymkun's heart sank.

"Oh, Mally!" the Hatter exclaimed. "I can do so much more than _that!_"

He lifted her up to his face and gently kissed her forehead.

"Mallymkun. Mally. To me, you are the best and most beautiful of women. I love you, Mally. I truly do."

He kissed her again. Mallymkun would have burst into tears if not for the destruction of her eyes. Instead she lay dry, shaking and sobbing in the embrace of the man she loved.

* * *

"Did any escape?" Alice asked Bayard as they reentered the clearing.

"No," the bloodhound replied, stepping over a pink puddle with his nose wrinkled in disgust. "It seems that this is the end of the Jabberwocky."

"Unless she makes more…"

The Bandersnatch set aside the last fallen tree. Tarrant sat up slowly, wincing as he stretched his limbs.

"I don't think anything's broken," Chessur said to him, watching carefully. "You are a very lucky man."

"I sure am," Tarrant agreed, looking down fondly at the Dormouse in his hands.

Taking one look at Mallymkun's face, the Cat evaporated, returning quickly with a pitcher of water and a washcloth he'd found in Hatter's house. The Dormouse sighed, her pains slightly soothed as Tarrant washed her face with the cool water.

"Is everyone alright?" Alice asked, approaching them with Bayard at her heels.

"We're alive," Tarrant said, moving the washcloth to rewet it. As she saw the Dormouse's face for the first time, Alice fought to keep her expression neutral to avoid worrying her. But then she realized that Mallymkun couldn't see her, anyway.

"I could still take you down, Alice," Mallymkun said, aware of the girl's staring despite not being able to see it.

"I've no doubt that you could," said Alice, a little reassured by the Dormouse's undiminished attitude.

"She must have taken down at least twenty Jabberwocky after that one got at her face," Hatter said, continuing to wash Mallymkun.

"I had help." The Dormouse's protest was muffled by the washcloth.

"A humble Mallymkun! Wonders will never cease," Chessur teased.

"You're after Alice, Ches."

"I'll be there, _Mally,_"

For once, the Dormouse didn't argue the use of her nickname.

"Now, would someone please tell me what this was all about?" Bayard asked.

Alice told the majority of the explanation, from her being brought back to Underland until the end of the Red Queen's life story. At that point, Mallymkun sat up in Tarrant's hand and told of the secret door in the White Queen's palace and what she'd seen transpire down there.

Tarrant nodded gravely as she finished. "That's what I'd discovered, too," he said. "Suddenly, I was facing the fact that in my efforts to avenge those I had loved and lost…I had brought to power one who shared the blame…"

His voice trailed off. Mallymkun gave his finger a comforting squeeze.

"Iracebeth said that neither she nor her sister were fit to be Queen," Alice said. "She's right. They're both bad, just in different ways and for different motives."

"This is why I never get involved in politics," Chessur commented. "There are always too many different angles to look at a situation from. In the end, which is better? Red or White?"

"It doesn't matter," Mallymkun said. "What matters now is that we can't let Mirana remain Queen, not after all of this!"

"But what can we do?" Bayard asked. "Whatever anyone hears her say, they'll believe."

Alice smiled. "I think I have a plan," she said.

* * *

The White Queen was in a good mood. There was no doubt in her mind that the Hatter and his friends were long dead. If anyone had noticed the Jabberwocky, she would talk it out of their memory, or—and she grinned gleefully at the thought—he could declare it the return of her sister. All it would take to simulate her escape would be a few hypnotized card soldiers to set her free of her chains. Then she would send her own army—with Alice leading—to finish Iracebeth off for good. That would solidify the girl's loyalty to her, and then the foolish child would be back in Overland, this time without anything to remind her of Underland's existence.

The door to the throne room opened slightly. "You'll be glad to know that your plan worked," Alice announced as she walked in, leaving the door open a crack behind her.

"Alice, my dear," said the Queen with a voice like honey—sweet and sticky. "Where have you been?"

"They're dead, Mirana," Alice said. "Those creatures—they were yours, weren't they? _You _are the maker and the master of the Jabberwocky."

"Why on earth would you think something like that?" Mirana asked, trying to catch the girl's eye.

"I know everything now," Alice continued, keeping her face always slightly turned away as she walked around the room. "How you ruined your sister, how you made monsters, how you tortured innocents and let them die _laughing_… Do you deny it?"

"You have no proof," the White Queen sneered. "The word of my evil sister? Please. A man and a few animals killed by creatures my _sister_ was known to associate herself with? Clearly, this is an attack by the Red Queen."

"Iracebeth loved you, and you made her life miserable—"

"I deserved_ everything!_" Mirana snapped. "I was smarter, prettier… As the younger, I would have gotten nothing of worth! I had to act!"

"You had to ruin?" Alice challenged. "You had to torture? You had to _kill?_"

"Silly little girl! I am the Queen! I may do as I please with my inferiors! When my Jabberwocky return, you will be their next victim. Everyone will believe that you died protecting me from assassination. Be grateful that I'm allowing you to be remembered _honorably._"

"No one will believe anything that you say," Alice said. "Not after they've heard your confession."

The White Queen laughed. "Who said anything about a confession?"

Alice crossed over to the door and pulled it wide open. Mirana's eyes widened. There stood her courtiers, several of her chessmen, and many other Underlanders. All of them were staring at her in shock or glaring at her in fury.

"No!" she gasped. "My people! My friends! Do not believe these lies!"

Alice swiftly pulled a strip of cloth from her pocket and tightly blindfolded the White Queen.

Mirana screamed in fury, grabbing at her face. "No! I am the Queen! _I am the Queen!_"

"Down with the White Queen!" someone yelled. "Down with the deceiver!" Others quickly began to take up the cry.

Hatter stepped to the front of the crowd, Mallymkun standing shakily on his shoulder.

"Rip out her eyes, Alice!" the Dormouse called.

"Oh, there will be plenty of time for that, Mally," Tarrant said.

"Alice!" Mirana cried, recognizing his voice. "You said that they were _dead!_"

"No, I didn't," Alice said. "Wrong 'they.'"

Chessur materialized near the White Queen's ear. "You know," he whispered. "The Tulgey Woods are such a lovely shade of _pink_ this time of year, don't you think?"

Mirana slumped in defeat. The Cat lifted the crown from her head to much applause.

"Lock her up," Alice told the chessmen. "We'll decide what to do with her later."

The crowd cheered as Mirana of Marmoreal was led away.

**Author's Note:** Please review!


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's Note: **I just realized that the spaces I've been typing in to mark breaks in time in the story weren't showing up, so I put in lines which DO show up. I hope that this clears up any confusion!

A few days later, Alice was standing alone on a balcony of the White Castle, enjoying a rare moment of silence. Word of the White Queen's arrest had spread quickly, and so she'd been doing almost nothing but explain to incoming Underlanders exactly what had happened. Later, there would be a meeting to decide what to do with Mirana and, just as importantly, there was the matter of deciding on a new ruler. There was no one of royal blood alive other than the two ex-Queens.

"Lovely day," Tarrant commented, stepping up to stand beside her.

"It's nice to not be facing danger once in a while," Alice said.

"That's true," the Hatter agreed. "But danger helps make life interesting."

Alice nodded thoughtfully. "How's Mallymkun?" she asked. She hadn't had a chance to check on the Dormouse recently.

"She's as unstoppable a force as always," Tarrant replied, with a little smile. "It's impossible to keep her still. She's working with Chessur to be able to fight without seeing."

Alice raised an eyebrow, intrigued.

"Would you like to go and watch?" Tarrant suggested. The two humans turned and went back into the castle.

"I'm so happy for you two," Alice said as they walked.

The Hatter had a dreamy look on his face. "Sometimes, when I'm around her, I feel almost sane," he said. "But I'm sure that I'll get used to it eventually," he added with a little laugh.

"I'm sure you will," Alice chuckled, thinking. She had yet to fall in love. It wasn't the first of her priorities, but she was curious to discover what it was like. She'd read tales of romance, watched her sister marry Lowell(who cheated on her), and almost been engaged to Hamish, but she still didn't quite understand what love was supposed to feel like.

"_Focus,_ Mally," she heard Chessur say as they entered the courtyard.

"Don't. Call. Me. Mally," Mallymkun muttered, standing very still out in the open. Her head was cocked, and Alice guessed that her eyes were supposed to be closed. It was hard to tell—the Dormouse's eyelids had been almost completely burned away, leaving what was left of her eyes visible.

Suddenly, Chessur materialized behind her. Mallymkun whipped around and grabbed at him, slapping his paw before he could dodge away.

"Good, good!" the Cat praised. Alice and Hatter applauded. Mallymkun jerked in surprise, turning sharply back towards them.

"Who's there?" she called.

"Guess," Chessur said, motioning for the humans to remain silent.

Mallymkun breathed in slowly a few times, then smiled widely. "Tarrant and Alice!"

"Bravo!" Hatter dropped to one knee, holding out a hand on the ground. Mallymkun ran up to him, and he lifted her up as he stood again.

"How did you do that, Mallymkun?" Alice asked.

"Chessur moves air around when he materializes," explained the Dormouse. "It feels like a slight breeze. As for you, you smell like the Overland, and Tarrant smells…like Tarrant." She blushed slightly. "It's good practice."

Tarrant's lips brushed against Mallymkun's forehead.

_I've never seen either of them act this way, _Alice thought. _Do people really change so much when they fall in love?_

It was certainly something to think about.

The setting sun bathed the throne room in orange light as the meeting commenced. Attendant were a large portion of the Underland Resistance—Alice, Hatter, Mallymkun, Chessur, Bayard, Tweedledee and Tweedledum, Nivens McTwisp, and Uilleam, the Dodo—as well as an Ace of Hearts and a White Rook representing their respective armies.

"The punishment should fit the crime," the Dodo was saying.

"She's secure where she is, in the dungeons," the Rook pointed out.

"But for how long?" Mallymkun challenged. "And what happens if she manages to take off her blindfold? The next unfortunate guard wouldn't stand a chance."

"Then blind her," said the Ace, fingering his spear. "And leave her to fend for herself in the Outlands."

Nivens shook his head. "That's hardly a humane thing to do."

"Humane?" Tarrant scoffed. "Murder, torture, experimenting on sentient beings… When did the White Queen ever give a _guddler's scut _about what was humane? Is the punishment going to 'fit the crime,' as Uilleam said, or not?"

"There's no need to argue about this," Bayard spoke up, attempting to deter the brewing argument. "What we do need is a ruler. Then he or she could decide what to do."

"How do you choose a ruler in Underland?" Alice asked.

"You find a member of the royal family," Tweedledee said.

"But there aren't any living, so we can't," Tweedledum contradicted.

"If they lived, then they'd rule."

"But they don't, so they won't."

"Underland has never been without a ruler," Chessur said. "There's no precedent. So, technically, we can do whatever we want with the empty throne."

"Are—Are you saying that we should _nominate_ a ruler?" Nivens stammered.

The Cat shrugged. "Do you have a better idea?"

"But who are we to decide?" the rabbit protested.

"Who better?" Alice asked. "You're the Underland Resistance! You all care the most about your home, enough to fight against incredible odds for it. It's only right that you should choose a ruler for Underland."

"All right, then," said Uilleam. "Any nominations? Who is best fit to rule Underland?"

Mallymkun sat up straight. "Alice, of course!"

All eyes turned to the Dormouse, then slowly everyone turned to face the nominee.

"Me?" Alice gasped.

"I second the motion," Tarrant said.

"But—But—!"

"Third," Chessur added. The others were nodding.

"But I'm no Queen!" Alice protested. "I'm no leader! I'm not even an Underlander!"

"Do you really believe that, Alice?" Mallymkun asked.

"You're a champion," the Ace pointed out. "You defeated the Jabberwocky—twice."

"Just because I had to," Alice said.

"No one would disagree," Bayard said. "Already, every single Underlander looks up to you."

"My home is the Overland."

"Is it really, Alice?" Mallymkun pressed. "Is it? You've lived with us, laughed with us, fought with us. What awaits you in Overland? A set future, that's what, whether it's in London or on a boat to China. I don't think you want that. I think you belong here, with us. So stay, and be Queen. We need you here."

Alice didn't know what to do.

"I think I—I need a moment to think," she muttered, turning and quickly leaving the room. She hurried outside and into the gardens.

_Just look at me, _she thought, sitting down on a stone bench in a secluded part of the gardens. _I'm running away, that's what I'm doing! What kind of Queen would I be?_

"My name is Alice," she said aloud. "I'm Alice Kingsley. I live in Overland. My family and friends all live in Overland. I'm not an Underlandian Queen! I'm just an ordinary Overland girl."

"And still a very stupid one," said a familiar voice.

Alice looked towards the sound. Suddenly she noticed that there was a scroll of parchment on the bench next to her. Standing on it was a bright blue butterfly.

"Absolem?" she asked.

"Who else, stupid girl?"

"When are you going to stop calling me that?"

"When you stop giving me reason to," Absolem said.

"I'm not being stupid," Alice protested. "I'm being sensible. I'm facing reality and accepting that things are the way they are."

"It seems to me that your idea of 'the way things are' has been challenged quite a bit, as of late," said the butterfly.

Alice sighed. "I just don't know what to do anymore," she said. "I really should get back to Overland, I suppose, but… I just don't know what I want!"

"I can't help you if you don't even know what you want."

"You once said the same thing about me knowing who I am," Alice pointed out. "And we settled that. Isn't that what's most important?"

"After you've figured out who you are, the next most important thing is to figure out what you want."

"I want… to be able to choose my own path in life," Alice said slowly, thinking. "I want adventure. I want to be with the people I care about. I want to be me. I want people to want me, too. I want to be where I'm needed."

"Now," Absolem said. "There's a third most important thing. And that is, where are you most likely to get those things?"

Alice looked up at the darkening sky. A few stars were starting to come out.

_Twinkle, twinkle, little bat, with the stars is where you're at._

"That's the Oraculum, isn't it?" she said, placing her hand on the scroll. "I could just look and see what I decide."

"But do you really want to?" asked the butterfly.

"No," Alice said, standing up. "I don't. Not really. Thank you, Absolem."

"_Fairfarren,_ Alice," Absolem said as the now-determined girl walked back into the castle.

"What if she doesn't answer?" Alice heard Nivens say as she approached the throne room. "What if she's left for Overland already?"

"Give her some time," Tarrant said. "She'll come back. She always does."

"I've made my decision," Alice announced, entering the room. All eyes once again fell on her. This time, however, she felt comfortable under their gaze.

"My answer is yes," said the girl. "If it is your desire to make me your Queen, then I will accept. I belong here, in Underland."

Everyone began to smile and cheer.

"All hail Queen Alice!" Hatter declared. "Long live the Queen!"

Chessur glided up and placed the crown on Alice's head. The Underlanders bent to their knees in respect.

"Oh, stop it," Alice protested. "It's still me. I'm still Alice."

"You are, Alice," Mallymkun said, glancing up at her. "You truly are."

**Author's Note: **Originally, this was going to be the end of my story. But now I can tell that it's not! Please send your reviews! I'll write again as soon as I can!


	9. Chapter 9

"Ace of Hearts," Alice said. "You and your men are to take Mirana to the Outlands and chain her to the rock with the other exiles. If she tries to use her powers on any of you, blind her. And Rook, your army is in charge of cleaning up the Tulgey Woods and disposing of the Jabberwocky remains."

The two soldiers rose, bowing as they turned to leave the throne room.

But then Alice had a sudden thought. "One more thing, Ace," she said. "When you get there, free Iracebeth. Escort her to the nearest town and tell the people there that they are to treat her as they would any traveler in need of a home."

"…Yes, your majesty," the Ace said, in a slightly confused tone. But Alice knew he would obey.

"Oh, get up, please," she said to the others, who were still bowed before her. "You're my friends."

"All the same, you're the Queen now," Nivens said.

"Fine," said the girl, with a little smile. "I _order _you to get up, and let's all go to bed—it's getting late."

Maybe she _could_ get used to being Queen.

* * *

Tarrant couldn't sleep. He had every reason to be tired, given the activity of the past few days, but for some reason his eyes just wouldn't stay shut.

He looked down at Mallymkun, curled up next to his head on the pillow, sound asleep. That was good. She hadn't been sleeping very well lately, waking up from nightmares she wouldn't tell him about. But he could guess—last night, she'd made him swear that it was really _him_ there with her, and not someone else.

The Hatter rose and quietly went out the door, not wanting to disturb her. He walked with no destination in mind, thinking.

_Just as things almost settled down, yet another adventure…life just won't give us a break, will it? But I guess I prefer it that way. It's not going to end any time soon, anyways. Alice, the Queen! This will be interesting. And then there's Mally, my Mally, did I really go all that time not knowing that I loved her? Now we have days, years even, to have each other…_

_Look at me. When was the last time I was like this, happy and carefree? Not mourning a friend, or contemplating a war, or fearing for someone's life… Is this normal? I'd forgotten normal. Maybe "normal" is what you make of it._

With that thought, he headed back to the room he was staying in with Mallymkun. It was only temporary. He wanted to return to his house—our_ house, now—_in Tulgey Woods.

Strange, Tarrant didn't remember closing the door. He reached out to turn the doorknob.

It was locked.

"Mally?" he called, suddenly wary.

_**A high-pitched scream—something heavy hitting the door—shouting—banging on the door—calling for help—Mally! Mally!—**_

A Knight ran up from its post, jamming its spear into the keyhole and forcing the door open. Tarrant ran in, and a strangled cry escaped his throat when he realized that the room was now, inexplicably, empty.

* * *

Soon, everyone was awake. Every inch of the castle was searched, but there was no sign of Mallymkun. No one had been seen entering or exiting the castle. The bedroom window was closed and didn't look like it had been forced open. But the bedcovers were in a heap on the floor and a table had been overturned—the Dormouse couldn't have done that!

Alice placed a hand on Tarrant's shoulder. "Don't worry," she said. "We'll find her."

"Who would do such a thing?" The Hatter's voice was hushed. "No. I could probably answer that. But I don't dare try…"

"Your majesty!"

A Two of Hearts ran up, hurriedly saluting. "No sign of the Dormouse. But Malloran, Stayne's horse, is missing, too."

"What?"

But no sooner had this news been reported when another card soldier ran in. It was the Ace, clearly distressed and out of breath from his incredibly hurried return.

"Your Majesty—Alice—," he gasped, collapsing to his knees.

"Calm down, Ace," the young queen said, kneeling in front of him. "What is it?"

"We took—Mirana—to the Outlands," said the Ace, trying to catch his breath and tell his tale at the same time. "At the rock—no sign of—Ilosovic Stayne. And—Iracebeth—"

He took in a shuddering breath. "Dead," he said. "The Red Queen—she's dead."

"What of the White Queen?" Alice asked.

"Still at the rock—guarded. I came back—alone."

Alice frowned, thinking for a moment before turning to the Two. "Send someone fast to tell the cardsmen to bring Mirana back here," she said. "Her punishment will have to wait."

The Two ran off. Alice turned back to the Ace.

"You should go get some rest," she said, helping him to his feet. "You've done well."

"Thank you, your majesty," the cardsman said, walking away.

"Stayne." Tarrant spat the name, resting a fist against the wall.

"It would seem so," Alice said. "But when I saw him yesterday, he was in no shape to cross Underland, let alone in less than a day. And how would he get in and out—with Malloran, no—without being noticed?"

"We don't know anything," the Hatter snarled in a heavily accented voice. "Nothing…except that _she's gone!_" He brought both fists down heavily onto the stone wall, raising them to punch it again.

_**She's gone—Must find her— Need her—They'll pay—Pain— No! No!—**_

"Hatter!"

Alice grabbed his forearms, stopping him. Tarrant blinked at his clenched hands in confusion, opening them slowly. Alice thought she saw a glint of fear in his eyes, which were shifting from gold to their usual green.

"It's all right, Hatter," she said. "We'll find her."

"Of course we will," Tarrant said, lowering his arms.

_Mad, _he thought. _Completely bonkers. And in all the wrong ways._

* * *

"Children!" Bielle called, entering the courtyard. "Get back to bed."

Three of her pups reluctantly followed her indoors. But Bessie stayed where she was, sniffing the ground.

"Come back inside, Bess," Bayard said, walking up to her.

"Do you smell that, Pop?" Bessie asked, not moving.

"Smell what?"

"I dunno," said the young bloodhound. "I've never smelled it before."

Bayard sniffed the ground. There _was _a strange scent, one he didn't know, either. He didn't have the words to describe it.

"Now, that's odd…" he said, lifting his head. "You go back to bed, Bessie. I'll let you know when I figure out what it is."

"But _I _want to!" protested the pup.

"Bessie!" Bielle called.

"Don't disobey your mother," Bayard said. Bessie sighed but did what she was told.

Bayard took in the strange scent again. There were other smells mixed in with it, too, but his experienced nose could separate them and tell them apart.

One of the smells was Dormouse.

"Mallymkun," he whispered, glancing up. The strange scent left a trail, like all scents do. The bloodhound ran back inside the castle to tell Alice of his find.

It was time to do a little tracking.

**Author's Note: **I've looked all over, but Stayne's horse doesn't seem to have a name! So, I gave him one: Malloran. What do you think?


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: **All characters except for Aldric and Cotie do not belong to me and are the fabulous creations of either Lewis Carroll or Tim Burton.

Mallymkun didn't know where she was. Her feet touched cool metal, and there was nothing in reach. There weren't any notable sounds or smells to give her a hint as to her surroundings, either. All she could remember was trying to evade a snatching hand, several loud thuds as her pursuer knocked over furniture, and then she was moving very fast through the air in a vice-like grip. Her hatpin was gone, too. She felt uncomfortable without it at her hip.

Again, the Dormouse extended her arms, trying to feel around her. She took a tentative step, and her hands came in contact with something smooth and solid. _A wall?_

"There's no way out, in case you were wondering," an unfamiliar voice said. Mallymkun turned around sharply towards the sound.

"I should apologize for bringing you here in such a hurried manner," the voice continued nonchalantly. "You will be staying here for a while…as my guest, of course."

"Who are you?" Mallymkun asked. "What do you want?"

"_So_ cliché!" The voice laughed. "Why would I have any reason to tell you that?" _It sounds like a human, _Mallymkun thought. _But…different, somehow._

"No, my dear Mallymkun," said the voice. (_I will _not _ask "How do you know my name?",_ Mallymkun thought.) "You play a very specific role in my plan. Now, let's get right to it, shall we?"

Suddenly Mallymkun was struck by something very hot and with a lot of sharp points, and she fell backwards with a short cry of pain. But she was struck again and again, and just when she thought she could take no more she had to endure new torture.

"Nothing personal, Mallymkun," the voice said between attacks. "Rest assured that it all serves a greater purpose."

The Dormouse touched her chest, and her hand came away sticky with her own blood. The next jolt drove her to unconsciousness.

_The man frowned at the limp figure. "Well, now, that's unaccommodating," he said. "Now I'll have to wait for you to wake up, or else you won't feel anything. No matter, I'll just move on to part two. It's time to mobilize the troops."_

* * *

Alice didn't realize that she had fallen asleep until the Ace woke her with a gentle touch on the shoulder.

"Any news?" she asked, rubbing her shoulder. She had spent an uncomfortable night on her throne. _It's no surprise I fell asleep, _she thought. _I must have been up for nearly twenty-four hours!_

"No word from the bloodhound," the Ace said. "But there's a man here who says he's from a small village on the border between Iplam and Witzend. Apparently, his village was attacked last night."

Alice sat up straight. "Where is he?"

"Waiting in the hall."

"Bring him in."

The Ace crossed the room quickly and opened the door. In walked a man slightly taller than Alice, with raven-black hair and tan skin, uncommon for an Underlander. He wore a plain farmer's outfit and seemed a bit out-of-place in the extravagant throne room—but there was a sword at his belt, Alice noted. The man stared at Alice for a few seconds with wide honey-colored eyes, but then he remembered where he was and bowed deeply.

"Your majesty," he said.

"Rise," Alice said, trying not to let her impatience show. "What is your name?"

"Aldric, your majesty," said the man as he unbent. "Aldric Tussen."

"Tell me what happened, Aldric Tussen," said the queen.

"Well, late last night I was on my way home from the fields—since you dethroned the Red Queen, your majesty, Iplam's soil has become fertile again—when I heard a strange sound, like some wild animal's battle cry," Aldric began. "Suddenly there were people and animals everywhere, attacking the houses and us villagers! And they didn't stop for anything—if you cut them, they didn't bleed or even seem to feel pain. They _looked_ odd, too, but I couldn't describe it. And they didn't have shadows in the moonlight, either."

Aldric suppressed a shudder at the memory. "I tried to fight them off, your majesty, but there were just too many of them. I heard my friends and neighbors screaming for help, but I was just as helpless. All I could think to do was grab my horse and to ride here as fast as I could to seek help."

"His horse is being cared for in the stables," the Ace said.

Alice nodded slowly. "Do you think you could manage a return trip, Aldric?" she asked.

"Most certainly, your majesty," the man affirmed. "I need to know what's become of my home, and my friends."

Alice turned to the Ace. "Organize a military escort," she said. "I'm going to Iplam."

The Ace bowed, but his eyes were quizzical. "Are you certain that that is wise, your majesty?"

"It's better than sitting here and waiting for something to happen," Alice pointed out.

"I'm coming, too."

All eyes turned to the door, where Tarrant stood. His face was expressionless, but his arms were crossed and it was clear he wouldn't take "no" for an answer. _Did he get any sleep last night? _Alice wondered, looking at his unusually blank eyes.

"Of course," she said. Tarrant turned away, satisfied.

_Better that he have my permission to leave, and be under my watch, than to have him disobey and do something reckless, _she thought, justifying her choice to herself.

* * *

Bayard had followed the strange scent all the way to Witzend before he found its source—a boulder in the middle of the path. _Odd, _he thought, sniffing the boulder. _Usually, a rock smells like…a rock._

The bloodhound nudged the rock with his nose, and to his surprise it gave way, vanishing to reveal a wide tunnel sloping downwards—big enough for a human or even a large animal like a horse to fit through. Without hesitation, Bayard went down. The light in the tunnel was very dim, but there didn't seem to be anything to see. Soon Bayard found that he was no longer walking on dirt, but on some kind of metal.

_This tunnel is man-made, _he thought as the ground leveled out and he now stood at the beginning of several long hallways, branching off in many directions. He breathed in deeply—the strange scent was very strong here.

Suddenly, a jet-black cat stepped out of the shadows, blinking its bright yellow eyes at him in surprise.

"You!" hissed the cat. "You are not of the Between, nor are you close to it. You are Underlandian!"

"Who are you?" Bayard asked. "What are you talking about?"

"I should turn you in," the cat said, glancing around nervously. "If only the Lord was here, then I _would _turn you in."

"What lord?"

"The Lord of Between." The cat's voice was hushed. "He is not here now, but he will return."

Bayard frowned, thinking. "What's your name?" he asked.

"My…name?" The cat hesitated. "I was once called…Cotie."

"I'm Bayard," said the bloodhound. "Cotie, is there anyone else here who isn't…'of the Between'?"

"There is a man, and a horse," Cotie said, seemingly encouraged by Bayard's kindness. "Also, there is another. The Lord keeps her here, separate from the rest of us. We do not speak to her. The Lord has her submit to torture for days on end. Always, we can tell that she drifts closer to the Between, but she does not give in. I believe that she waits for a man—she never so much as whimpers when the Lord touches her, but she cries for her man while she sleeps. She calls his name."

"Would that name she calls be 'Tarrant,' by any chance?" Bayard asked.

Cotie nodded. "It is."

_Mallymkun! _"Take me to her. Please."

The cat looked uncertain.

"She is my friend," Bayard said.

Cotie glanced around again. "Very well," she said. "But when the Lord returns, I will have no choice but to turn you in."

The cat turned and walked down one of the hallways, Bayard at her heels. Now the bloodhound saw that she seemed to be soaked with water, but she left no puddles as she walked and seemed to find no discomfort from her state.

"Cotie, what is the Between?" he asked.

"The Between is between Underland and Overland," was the soft reply. "No one but the Lord is from the Between, but all eventually will go there. And once there, you do not return. Or at least you _should _not return, but the Lord has brought many of us here with him."

Suddenly, Bayard understood. "Are you saying that the Between is _death?_" he gasped.

Cotie did not falter in her pace, but looked him steadily in the eyes. "Once, I lived in Underland," she said. "But that was a very long time ago. I fell off a rock into a lake…I had never learned to swim, Bayard, and so I went to the Between."

_That explains why she's so wet. _"Are you a ghost?" the bloodhound asked.

"I am a Betweenling," Cotie corrected.

"Why are you here?" Bayard pressed. "What's the Lord going to do?"

"Here she is," Cotie said, ignoring the question and indicating a nearby window in the wall. "Only the Lord can enter."

Bayard placed his front paws on the wall, looking in through the window. The room inside was small and just as dim as the hallway. He could see Mallymkun lying on what looked like a shelf extending from the wall under the window. The Dormouse was curled up in a fetal position, her clothes torn and her fur matted with blood.

"Every day, she is closer to the Between," Cotie whispered.

"Mallymkun," Bayard said gently, leaning in close to the window. "Wake up, Mallymkun. Wake up."


	11. Chapter 11

_The Dormouse knew that she was dreaming. She knew it firstly because she could see, and secondly because she was standing on a tree root in what was clearly Witzend. She had stood on that very tree root moments before the town was destroyed._

_But expecting the attack didn't make it any easier to watch._

_The sunny day grew dark, and people began to scream. Mallymkun couldn't see the Jabberwocky—but she could see the purple flames, and the people caught by them as they simply disappeared. A pair of dormice ran by, and Mallymkun realized they were her parents. She wanted to call out to them, but as she opened her mouth they became little more than ashes._

I didn't see all this,_ she thought. _I'd already run away._ But this time, she felt like her feet had been glued to the ground. She could only watch as the Jabberwocky wiped out the population, destroying buildings and plants, and then the tree on which she stood caught fire—_

_—and then she was walking slowly out into the sunlight, staring down at the gray, stone path. Again, she knew where she was: the Red Queen's palace. Her arms and legs were in chains, and she could hear Tarrant's footsteps in front of her. This was their execution._

_The Hatter walked up the stairs and knelt before the execution block first._

_"I'm right behind you," Mallymkun called, trying to be reassuring although she knew it was no good._

_But then she remembered—it wasn't Tarrant up there, it was Chessur _disguised _as Tarrant, and as soon as the axe came down the switch would be revealed and all would escape! Mallymkun calmly watched the executioner raise the blade over his head and bring it down onto the Hatter's neck._

_His head came off, his body slumped, lifeless. A pool of blood began to form beneath him._

_Mallymkun screamed—_

_—and now she was standing in a completely white room, facing a wall of glass. Beyond the glass, she could see Tarrant. He was looking for her. She called to him, but he didn't seem to hear her, only growing more and more agitated in his search. Then he suddenly looked up and ran at the glass, pounding it with his fists and slamming his whole body against it. Mallymkun shouted at him to stop, that he was only hurting himself, and that there was hope, but he did not listen—_No,_ she realized as she stared helplessly into his crazed, golden eyes, _he _could_ not listen_._

_Then she saw that there were other people on Tarrant's side of the glass. She saw Alice, Chessur, Bayard, Nivens, and the Tweedles._

_"Help him!" she cried. "Stop him!"_

_They did nothing._

_"He'll kill himself!" the Dormouse screamed. "Please, do something!"_

_"Mallymkun," said Bayard. "Mallymkun."_

_"Bayard, please," she begged._

_"Mallymkun," was all he would say. "Wake up, Mallymkun. Wake up."_

"Bayard…?"

Mallymkun rolled over, dragging herself to a sitting position.

"Over here, Mallymkun," the bloodhound called from behind the glass.

"What are you doing here?"

"Rescuing you, of course," Bayard said. "You look terrible. What have they been _doing _to you?"

The dormouse shook her head slowly. "I don't know," she said. "And he won't tell me why. But…it hurts, Bayard. It hurts."

"Where's your spunk, Mallymkun?" Bayard asked, trying to joke but frowning in spite of himself. "The Mally I know never admits to pain."

She smiled weakly. "Don't call me Mally. It's bad enough when Chessur does."

"There's got to be a way to get you out of there." Bayard scanned the wall for a weak point but found none.

"Only the Lord can enter," Cotie said again.

"Bayard, where's Tarrant?" Mallymkun asked. "How is he?"

"I don't know," the bloodhound admitted.

"Listen, Bayard." Mallymkun placed a paw on the window, drawing in a sharp breath of pain from the movement. "You've got to go back," she gasped. "Tell him that I'm all right. And make sure that he doesn't do anything stupid—_please_."

"Bayard!" Cotie hissed suddenly. The bloodhound turned to see her standing stock-still, staring down the hallway. "The Lord returns."

"Get out of here, Bayard," Mallymkun urged.

"Further on, there is another way out," said the cat. "Go now, before I must turn you in."

"I'll be back," Bayard promised before turning and running down the hallway. He reached the surface quickly, but he had no intention of returning to Marmoreal, not yet. There were still some things he needed to figure out.

* * *

They hadn't been riding for more than a few hours (most were on horses, Alice on the Bandersnatch), but Alice had already caught Aldric staring at her at least five times. And each time, he had quickly averted his eyes, blushing. But, this time, he held her gaze.

"My apologies, your majesty," he said. "It's just that… Well, there were rumors in Iplam of your…charm. All I can say is that I've never met an Overlander before, but if they all share your beauty, it must be a very wonderful place."

"I'm flattered," Alice replied. "But to be honest, the people in Overland are just as varied as in Underland, although in different ways from here. It is, in its own way, a very wonderful place."

"And yet you decided to stay here, as our queen," Aldric said thoughtfully. "Why? Do you not miss your home?"

Alice didn't answer at first, facing frontwards. Aldric hurriedly attempted to backtrack.

"I—I'm sorry, your majesty. It isn't my place to ask; it's absolutely none of my business. I'm terribly sorry."

"Don't be." Alice turned back to the man beside her. "During my many visits to Underland, I occasionally have yearned for the Overland and the people that I left there. But now, I see Underland as more of a home than Overland ever was."

"I'm glad to hear that," Aldric said.

Not quite sure what to make of this last comment, Alice turned to Tarrant, who had been riding on her other side in complete silence. His face still was the expressionless mask it had been that morning, and it unnerved her. But she didn't know what to say or do to elicit a positive reaction from the Hatter.

More time passed, and as the scenery changed from woods to fields, the queen and the farmer engaged in lively chat, mostly about their surroundings.

"As you can tell, the flowers have begun to return to this part of Underland," Aldric said, indicating the little sprouts on the side of the road, barely beginning to blossom. "I hate to say it, but one good thing about the Red Queen's reign was that you could walk around here in complete silence. Soon, we won't be able to hear ourselves think—flowers are voracious gossips."

"Oh, I _know._" Alice grinned. "I've had experience. In Overland, though, plants tend to not talk at all—no wonder, as humans do more than their share already."

Aldric laughed, and Alice's grin grew even wider. She felt like she was being drawn in by that laugh, and by the way his hair and skin seemed to shine in the sunlight with simple handsomeness, and by his eyes, his happy, wonderful, honey-yellow eyes…

_There's something about that man, _she thought. _Something…good. I don't know what it is...but I like it. A lot._


	12. Chapter 12

A grim silence overtook the party as they entered Iplam. The smile on Aldric's face had long since vanished by the time they reached his village. The first houses Alice saw had gaping holes torn in their walls, and then there were some that had been burned to skeletons. Hatter stared long and hard at the burnt ones, which no doubt brought back painful memories, but his face betrayed no emotion.

"But where are all the people?" Alice asked. There was no one in sight.

"Split up and search," the Ace ordered his soldiers. The red and white men headed off farther into the village.

Aldric shook his head. "It is difficult not to fear the worst," he said. "On the bright side, there are no bodies."

"The Jabberwocky never left bodies," Hatter morbidly pointed out. Alice glanced at him sharply—it was the first thing she'd heard him say all day—but his face was still dead to all feelings.

"Your majesty!" A Pawn came running back. "We've found them."

The three humans rode after the Pawn, entering an open area in the center of the village. Here a makeshift outdoor hospital had been formed. There were wounded men and women lying everywhere. Alice even saw a few children waiting for treatment. As far as the queen could tell, there was only one doctor.

Aldric frowned. "I don't see my friends," he said, turning to Alice. "I must go search for them."

Alice hesitated, but nodded. "Be careful. Take a guard with you."

As she watched him ride off with a Bishop, she wondered at her own reluctance to let him out of her sight—_Why should I worry for _him_?_—but quickly shook those thoughts away and dismounted.

A woman walked up to her and curtsied. She had a bandage wrapped around her left forearm.

"The rumor was that you had been crowned Queen," she said. "It seems that you have not had much of a chance to enjoy your reign," she added wryly.

Alice couldn't help but agree. "What became of your attackers?" she asked.

"They left," the woman said. "Maybe an hour after they struck, they retreated. It was like someone had given them the order to go, humans and animals alike."

"Are you in need of extra medical assistance?"

The woman shook her head. "We're not as bad as we may appear," she said, flexing her injured arm. "No one died, and the wounds are superficial, mostly bites and scratches—and my husband is an excellent medic," she added, glancing fondly at the doctor, who was treating a cut on a little boy's forehead.

"I highly doubt that we're out of the woods, your majesty," the Ace muttered. "The only reason for such a surprise attack—if not to do great harm, which is evidently wasn't, seeing as they left so fast despite having the upper hand—would be either to test defenses or…"

"Or?" Alice pressed.

"We may be walking right into a trap, your majesty," the cardsman reluctantly finished. "It's just a possibility, ma'am. I led such attacks myself early in the Red Queen's reign."

"The Red Queen!" the woman exclaimed in a hushed voice. "Could this be _her _doing?"

"No, it couldn't." Alice said firmly.

The woman raised an eyebrow. "With all due respect, your majesty, not everyone shares your view that if the White Queen was bad, then her sister must be—"

"Iracebeth of Crims is dead," the Ace said, cutting her off mid-sentence. "She was murdered sometime yesterday, most likely by someone in league with your village's attackers."

"Oh. Well, then…" The doctor's wife shook her head and changed the subject. "How did you get word of our plight so quickly?"

"One of your fellow villagers, Aldric Tussen, escaped the attack and rode to get help," Alice said. She caught herself smiling as she thought of him, his laugh, his eyes…

The woman frowned. "Aldric? I don't know—"

"Your majesty! Your majesty!"

A Four came running back. "Come quickly!" he pleaded.

Alice glanced to her right, where Hatter—_where he had been standing just a moment ago!_

The Queen and Ace quickly followed the Four through the village and to its outskirts, where two chessmen were trying to restrain Hatter, a Three was helping his companion up off the ground, the other cardsman was rubbing his head where Hatter had hit him, and the object that seemed to be the instigator of Hatter's fury was lying rather innocently in the dirt.

Alice picked up the small piece of white cloth, brushing away the dirt to read the thick, black writing on it:

**There's a mouse stuck in the trap. Tick-tock, little mouse, tick-tock.**

Below the words was a line of tiny pawprints, blood-red. Alice hoped that it was only red ink.

"Mallymkun," she gasped, handing the cloth to the Ace and turning to Hatter, who was struggling to break the chessmen's grips. "This means we're on the right track, Hatter!"

"Blood." Tarrant spat the word. "_Her _blood. Her pain…my failures!"

"Failures?" Alice was confused. "Hatter, you haven't done anything wrong—"

"What do you know?" he shouted, lunging forward at Alice, eyes wild and gold. "You don't know _anything _I've gone through, _anything—_"

"Then tell me," Alice interrupted his tirade. She stepped forward slowly, calm and quiet, like a person approaching a spooked wild animal. "Tell me what you've been through."

Tarrant just glared at her, but he wasn't struggling anymore, just trembling with a strange mix of anger, sorrow, and fear.

Alice motioned for the chessmen to let him go. They hesitated but obeyed, backing away slowly so that they would be ready to act if the need arose. But Tarrant let Alice take his hands in hers.

"Do you have any idea why a raven is like a writing desk?" he whispered, eyes wide and questioning. "I sure don't. But as long as I don't know the answer, I can always come back to the question. It gives me a reason to come back…something to hold on to that won't go away…"

Alice gently tightened her grip, trying to slow the shaking of his hands. "You can hold on to this, too," she said. "You can hold on to me, and to Mallymkun, and even Chessur and Bayard and all of our other friends."

Tarrant shook his head. "No, I can't," he replied. "I can leave you. I can abandon you all, just like I abandoned my family, leaving them to die while I saved myself. I'll do nothing to help you, easily, like I did nothing to keep Mally from being taken…"

"None of that was your fault," Alice tried to reassure him. "You couldn't have done anything to help them, nothing short of a miracle."

"That doesn't change the fact that I left them! My entire life, I've never held on to anyone. People come and go, Alice. I stay with no one, I keep no one. But the Hatter, he keeps me. He drags me along.

"Why does that Hatter keep me around, Alice? What good is Tarrant Hightopp, the helpless coward? What is the Hatter, with me? Sometimes, I don't like it in here. It's much too crowded, and we fight a lot. There should be only one—so why not just get rid of _me?_"

There was a fallen tree nearby. Alice went to sit on it, pulling Tarrant down next to her.

"There's only one reason that I can think of," she said, choosing her words carefully. "I think that it's because Tarrant Hightopp—" (she raised his right hand) "—and the Hatter—" (she raised his left, then pushed them together) "—are one. The Hatter needs Tarrant, and Tarrant needs the Hatter. And together, they make the man sitting next to me: a man who knows how to act quickly, who would do anything for his friends, who won the heart of an incredible dormouse named Mallymkun, and who I am very proud to say that I love you as the brother that I never had."

"I just wish that I knew if they forgive me for leaving them," said the man sitting next to the queen.

"If I were them, I would."

Green eyes smiled at blue. "Thank you, Alice."


	13. Chapter 13

"…don't believe I comprehend what your qualms are with the current situation," Bayard heard an unfamiliar voice say as he neared the end of a hallway in the underground complex.

"Oh, it's not that I have any qualms with your strategies, my lord." The bloodhound recognized _that _voice. _Stayne. _"It's just that I do not understand why we do not simply kill the Dormouse."

"What use is she to me dead?"

_The other voice must be the Lord of Between, _Bayard thought, staying out of sight around the corner from the two men.

"In death, she is _yours, _my lord."

"The Lord of Between laughed. "That would be true, yes it would. But I did not bring her here to _have _her. She is of much more value alive, at the moment. Her friends have no reason to chase an imprisoned corpse."

_He's using Mallymkun as bait, _Bayard realized.

"And once Alice and her entourage get here?" Stayne asked.

"That girl has made herself into the only thing holding Underland together," the Lord said. "It's such a petty, immature world. "Once it is without a ruler again, I will be able to use the resulting chaos to expand my reign to Underland."

"And then do we proceed to Overland?"

"Patience, my Knave." The Lord sounded amused. "Eventually, I will take on Overland. The beauty of this operation is that the only Overlander to know of the existence of either of the other two lands will soon be dead. It will be just as easy to take Overland. It's the same everywhere: find the leaders, find their weakness, and use it against them."

"Do _all _leaders have such a weakness?"

The question seemed innocent enough to Bayard, but the Lord evidently didn't think so.

"You aren't planning to take me down once I own the entire world, Ilosovic?" His voice was colder than steel.

"N-No, of course not, my lord," Stayne stammered.

Bayard heard footsteps. "Need I remind you of the fact that I am the sole reason you and your precious horse are here at all? That I could banish you to the Between just as easily as I did to that uncooperative wench back where I found you? The Red Queen chose death over serving me—do you desire such an arrangement?"

There was a crackling sound, not unlike tiny thunderbolts.

"No! No!" Stayne exclaimed franticly. "I apologize _profusely, _my lord. Please forgive my apparent slip in faith—it was not true, it has no bearing on my judgment!"

The crackling stopped.

"Good," the Lord of Between hissed. "Now, let's keep it that way. Prepare to go to the surface—I may need you sooner than planned. Also, I have reason to believe that there is a spy in my fortress."

"A-A spy, my lord?"

There was a light touch on Bayard's side. He whirled around to see Cotie standing there. She mouthed his name—_Bayard._

_This is it, _the bloodhound thought. _She's going to turn me in._ He prepared to run.

The Betweenling cat shook her head and started to walk away, beckoning with her tail for him to follow.

"I did not think that you would return," Cotie whispered once they were a safe distance away. "Not after so many months."

"Months?" Bayard glanced at the cat incredulously. "It hasn't even been a day since I was last down here."

"Time is strange in the Between," Cotie admitted. "Here, in the world of the living, I am still as I was the moment I drowned. I do not eat, I do not sleep. I do not think that I even completely exist here, in space or in time. In this fortress, time passes as it is convenient for the Lord."

"So you're saying that Mallymkun has been tortured down here for _months?_" the bloodhound gasped.

Cotie nodded. "She says nothing. I do not believe that she has the strength to do so, not anymore. But she will not die. I do not understand, Bayard. It is not so bad to die. The Between is welcoming. She would suffer no more, and she would be as healthy as she was in her prime. Why not just die?"

"Death is easy," Bayard agreed. "But when you have something to live for, life isn't something that you give up on easily. And this is Mallymkun we're talking about—she's the most stubborn person I know."

"The Queen of Underland is heading right into the Lord of Between's trap," Cotie said. "It won't be long now before we are ordered to ambush her."

Bayard thought quickly.

"I need your help, Cotie," he said. "Alice needs to be warned, and she needs reinforcements. I might be able to find her in time, but I'll never make it to Marmoreal and back. But if Underland time doesn't work the same way on Betweenlings…you could probably go to Marmoreal and get help in almost no time at all, just like Alice returned to Overland right after she'd left it even though she'd spend days here in Underland."

"You mean…betray the Lord?" Cotie looked horrified at the thought. "I couldn't!"

"Do you like what he's doing here? What he's _going _to do, if he isn't stopped?" Bayard pressed. "You were an Underlander once. Do you want to see it turned into a land of the dead? The fact that you're soaking wet right now shows that the dead shouldn't be here. They should be at rest, and whole again."

"He'll know it was me!" the cat pleaded. "He'll make me die all over again, and this time I'll be in agony forever—neither completely alive nor dead!"

"Everyone I know has risked their life for what they know to be right. They're people who have gone to prison, faced execution, and fought monsters so that their world would be able to carry on. Anyone can _drown,_ Cotie. But are you brave enough to try to swim?"

There was a long silence—_too _long for Bayard, but he needed her help.

"Have you ever had to make a decision while knowing that it could hurt you—or those closest to you—in the immediate results, but could do a great good in the end?" Cotie asked softly.

"During the Red Queen's reign, she held my wife and pups prisoner so that I would serve her," the bloodhound said. "Anything I did for the Resistance could have had them or me killed. But I did my best to help end her reign, and Hatter saved my family."

The Betweenling cat looked up at the Underlander dog.

"I'll do it," she said.

"Aldric?" Alice called, walking back through the village, looking for him. She hadn't seen the man since they'd arrived in the town, and she was worried.

The young queen turned a corner and suddenly halted. At her feet lay the Bishop—bloody and lifeless. Alice drew the Vorpal Sword, glancing around warily.

"Aldric—"

Suddenly, something large and furry leapt out at her, knocking her to the ground. In her surprise, she dropped the Vorpal Sword. The creature snarled, its teeth about to close around her throat—

A sword slashed down, slicing off its head. The creature fell to the side.

"Are you all right?" Aldric gasped, dropping his sword and kneeling at Alice's side. "Did it hurt you?"

"I'm fine," Alice replied, trying to get up. Aldric pulled her to a sitting position, looking her over with wide, worried eyes.

"I don't think I could bear it if it had hurt you," he said.

Then he held her close and kissed her.

Alice almost pushed him away, but then she was wrapping her arms around him, returning the kiss, and allowing herself to feel all of the strange and wonderful emotions that had been taunting her all day.

A soft yowling drove them apart. The creature—it was a badger, Alice realized, like she'd seen in Overland—was shaking violently, crying out and gasping for breath. Then it lay still, dead. But a few moments later, it began again, like it couldn't decide if it was alive or dead, although beheaded.

"They don't feel wounds, but death is torture," Aldric muttered.

"That's good to know," Alice said. But as its body was rocked by spasms, the badger met eyes with her. The young queen saw so much pain in those eyes that she couldn't help but feel sorry for it.

"Who could put someone through this?" she asked.

"Someone I don't think we want to meet any time soon," Aldric said.

"But, whoever it is, he has Mallymkun, and maybe Bayard, too." Alice realized that no one had reported seeing or hearing from the bloodhound.

"Bayard? Mallymkun?" Aldric asked.

"Oh, that's right, you don't know them," Alice said. "Mallymkun is a dormouse, Hatter's love. She was kidnapped, but we found a note here about her. Bayard is a bloodhound who's trying to track her."

"Ah," said Aldric, and he laughed as though something now made sense to him.

"What's so funny?" Alice asked.

"It's nothing that needs to bother you." Aldric looked down at the fallen Bishop. "He must have been taken completely by surprise, the poor soldier. Where's his general? We should go and inform him."

"The Rook is probably back with the Ace and the other soldiers." Alice glanced back at the badger, wishing that she knew how to end its cycle of pain.


	14. Chapter 14

_The monster was stalking her._

_It glared at her with red eyes, blinking slowly on a black face._

_"Your time's almost up," it intoned._

_"No, it's not," Mallymkun snapped. "I can make it. I have to, for Tarrant."_

_"Don't you feel it?" the monster hissed. "Can't you feel death in your limbs? I'm coming for you, Mallymkun."_

_"Tarrant will get here first," she insisted._

_"What difference does it make?" it laughed darkly. "Either way, you're gone."_

_All went dark._

Awake, asleep, dream, reality…she couldn't tell the difference anymore

So what if death got to her first?

She couldn't move or say anything to stop it.

_Oh, the pain…_

* * *

Alice's scent was a lot easier to track than the Between scent, so Bayard found her in Iplam quickly. He came upon her just outside the village, calling her name as he approached.

"Bayard!" Alice exclaimed when she saw him. She got down on her knees to speak with him. "Where's Mallymkun? Did you find out anything?"

"I found out too much," the bloodhound replied. "And I don't know if there's enough time to tell you all of it. You're being lead into a trap! Mallymkun's the bait, and the Lord of Between wants you killed so that he can take over."

"The Lord of _what?_"

"The Between," Bayard said. "Between Underland and Overland—it's where people of both worlds go when they die. We're up against an army of the undead, Alice!"

Alice reflected on the badger, and how it had seemed to go back and forth between life and death.

"I sent a friend to Marmoreal—Cotie, she's a Betweenling, but she was an Underlander when she was alive, so she'll bring help—"

"What's this about bringing help?"

Aldric came up behind Alice, followed closely by the Ace, Rook, Hatter, and the rest of the military escort. The Rook seemed shaken—the Bishop had been one of his best men—and Hatter was calm, although looking at Bayard intensely.

"Aldric, this is Bayard," Alice said. "The bloodhound I mentioned earlier."

Bayard's eyes narrowed as he inhaled. This man absolutely _reeked _of the odd Between scent.

"Who are you again?" the bloodhound asked. Aldric didn't answer. Both were eyeing each other suspiciously.

"Aldric was the one who told us about an attack on his village," Alice explained. "He brought us here."

"Then he's lead you into a trap," Bayard snarled. "He's a Betweenling, Alice. I can smell it."

"What? Aldric…" Alice looked up at the man.

"That's ridiculous!" Aldric exclaimed. "You can't possibly believe this dog! Maybe _he's _the one leading you into a trap!"

"Alice, trust me," Bayard insisted. "It's not just the smell. I recognize that voice—I heard it in his fortress. This man is the Lord of Between. He has Stayne and an army of Betweenlings ready to kill you, and he's been torturing Mallymkun mercilessly."

Tarrant's eyes widened, and he glanced sharply at Aldric.

"He's trying to make us fight amongst ourselves," Aldric pleaded. "Alice, please believe me, I would never hurt you or your friends. I love you."

Alice stood up, ignoring the soldiers' confused gasps at this announcement and Bayard's snarl of "_Don't._" She looked at Aldric right in the eyes.

"That woman back in the village," she said. "The doctor's wife. She didn't recognize your name. You haven't been around to speak to _any _of the villagers. Is it because you don't really know them? Who _are _you, Aldric Tussen? Tell me the truth!"

There was a pause in which the only sound was her upset breathing. The soldiers glanced at each other, not sure what to do. Bayard and Tarrant both were tense and looked ready to pounce.

Then, Aldric began to laugh.

"It looks like the game is over," he chuckled. "Sorry, _sweetheart._ It's been a lot more fun than I expected."

And then he was behind Alice, having moved faster than she could see.

"We're just not compatible, darling. At the moment, I only partially exist in this word. I work on a different time and—oh, look, my shadow's gone. The Underland sun just won't recognize me."

"You lied to me," Alice whispered.

"Of course I lied! I thought you'd all come running when I borrowed your little dormouse friend—but you kept _this _one on a very tight leash. So, I had to improvise."

He pointed a thumb at the Hatter as he spoke, who took a threatening step forward.

"Where is she?" Tarrant demanded.

"I really don't see why I should tell you," said the Lord of Between as he turned and ran off.

"After him," Alice ordered, without much enthusiasm. Her heart was sore. She felt like she'd been crumpled up and thrown out the window with the garbage. For a moment, just for a moment, she'd thought that she'd had that elusive thing called _love…_

The soldiers started to chase the Lord, but then stopped. Many people and animals suddenly had appeared—out of nowhere, it seemed—in a large ring around the Lord. Now, the ring also surrounded the small group of cardsmen and chessmen, as well as Hatter, Bayard, and Alice.

"Perfect timing, Stayne," the Lord said, glancing behind him, where the Knave was dismounting Malloran.

"Thank you, my Lord," Stayne replied in a flat voice.

"Now don't you forget your…_assignment_."

"Of course not, my Lord." Stayne drew his sword, glaring at Alice.

The Ace raised his spear.

"I'd bet that you're the one thing holding your army in our world," he said. Then he charged.

Just before the spear impaled the Lord's throat, Aldric drew his sword—except now it wasn't a sword, but a metal rod with pointed ends that crackled with electricity—and rammed it into the cardsman's chest.

The Ace fell to his knees, dropping his spear as he brought both hands over the hole over his heart.

"Attack," the Lord of Between calmly ordered.

_We're doomed, _Alice thought as she watched the circle of Betweenling start to close in. _This will be a massacre._

Suddenly, she heard the Bandersnatch's familiar roar, and the area began to fill with the rest of the two Underland armies, lead by Chessur and—

"Cotie!" Bayard exclaimed. She paused a moment to smile at him, then lunged at a Betweenling wolf.

"What's up?" Chessur said to Tarrant, but he was ignored.

"Bayard," Tarrant urgently said. "Where's Mally?"

"This way."

Bloodhound, man, and Cheshire Cat all hurried through the trees and the nonexistent rock. Luckily, Bayard remembered which hallway to go down and they reached the window quickly.

Mallymkun was in an even worse state than before. What wasn't bloody was bruised, and her clothes were little more than rags stuck to her body by the blood. Her breathing was too shallow to be detectable.

Hatter took one look and rammed his fist through the glass with incredible adrenal strength. The window shattered, the shards cutting his hand, but he didn't seem to feel it. He picked her up gently and held her up to his face.

"Is she—?" Chessur's question was cut off by a sharp look from Bayard.

"Mally?" Tarrant whispered. For a few horrible moments, there was nothing. Then the Dormouse stirred slightly.

"…Tarrant…" Her voice was barely audible.

"I'm here, Mally, I'm here."

"…knew you…here first…"

"I'll always come for you." Tarrant's voice cracked. "Oh, Mally…"

"Tarrant…love you…remember…"

"Why would I need to remember? You're going to be all right. We're going to go home now, together."

Mallymkun's voice came out in a sigh, with one final word on it.

"_…Fairfarren…"_

The Dormouse neither moved nor breathed anymore.

"Mally!" Tarrant cried. "_Mally!_"

There was no answer. And all three present knew that there would never be an answer.

Aboveground, the battle raged. The Bandersnatch was sparring with Malloran. The Rook struggled to protect the wounded Ace. Alice found herself dueling for her life against Stayne.

But none of this registered in Tarrant's mind as he slowly lowered Mallymkun's body to the floor, staring down at it with blank, golden eyes.

_**No—Dead—Mally—Gone—Never—Gone—Too late—Again—Again—Mally—Dead!—**_

"Tarrant?" Chessur placed a paw on the man's shoulder, only to have it shoved off.

"ALDRIC!" the Hatter yelled, turning and racing back up the passageway, Bayard in quick pursuit. Chessur went to follow them, but stopped to wrap the Dormouse's corpse in a piece of blue silk to carry her respectfully to the surface.


	15. Chapter 15

Hatter ran back through the battle, dodging skirmishes, pausing only to grab a sword from a felled Betweenling man. He charged headlong at the Lord of Between, who parried his blow with his rod. The two men began to slice and stab at each other, skill matched by fury.

* * *

Cotie sunk her claws into the wolf's hide.

"Traitor," it snarled, shaking her off. She hit a tree hard, but landed on her feet, having felt no pain.

"Cotie!" Bayard called. The wolf's attention shifted, and Cotie took the chance to aim at its eyes.

It whirled around with unanticipated speed, grabbed the cat's head in his jaws, and snapped her neck. Cotie fell limp, then began to spasm in agony as the wolf dropped her to the ground.

"No!" Bayard yelled, shoving the wolf off balance—and right under Malloran's powerful hoofs as he shied away from the Bandersnatch.

The bloodhound pulled Cotie to what he felt was a safe distance away from the fight, wishing he knew some way to end his friend's pain.

* * *

Alice had managed to force Stayne to drop his sword. She raised the Vorpal Sword. It told her hands where to strike, but she didn't make her move.

"You can't kill me," Stayne laughed, picking up his sword again. "You're far too kind for that. Besides, the Lord of Between has made me one of his own. I can't die."

"But you _can _be fatally wounded," Alice pointed out. Stayne frowned, and they found with renewed vigor.

* * *

Nothing. Everywhere, in all directions, nothing. But it wasn't darkness—the Dormouse could see that.

_I can _see_ that!_

Mallymkun blinked complete eyelids over round eyes. She was clean; not bloody, burnt or bruised. Her clothes were restored, and she even had her hatpin at her hip.

She heard someone calling her name—soft and echoed, from far away. There they were now, leaving the nothing as though passing through fog. There were humans, well-dressed and each sporting a fancy hat, and many, many dormice.

It was the Hightopps and Mallymkun's family!

"Mother, Father," Mallymkun said, not sure how to react. She hadn't really been close to her parents. They'd often disagreed with her attempts at swordplay and her reluctance to find a mate and begin to have pups.

"Mallymkun," her father said. "I must say, you turned out to be nothing any of us expected."

"So then I _am _dead," was all Mallymkun could think to say.

"Yes, my daughter, you died," said her mother.

"You died in Tarrant's hand," added a young woman who Mallymkun thought looked like she could have been Tarrant's sister.

Mallymkun sighed. "At least that wasn't a dream," she said. "Are you all here to escort me to, well, whatever comes next?"

"No," said a dormouse cousin whose name Mallymkun had long since forgotten. "Not yet."

"What's there to wait for?" Mallymkun asked. "I'm dead. Right?"

* * *

Eventually, it became clear that the battle was in the Underlanders' favor. More and more Betweenlings were incapacitated, and even the Lord himself seemed to be giving in to the strain. Hatter kept avoiding his stabs, which were becoming more and more desperate.

The Hatter swiftly grabbed the Lord's wrist, forcing him to drop the rod. The Lord of Between bent down to grab it, Hatter chopped off his head with one clean stroke.

There was a moment of silence.

Then, something like an enormous window opened in the air in front of Hatter, sucking the Lord of Between through it with a rush of noisy winds.

The Betweenlings stopped fighting. The killed ones relaxed and stood up, letting themselves get pulled through the window.

Cotie smiled at Bayard.

"Perhaps we will see each other again, someday, in the Between," she said.

"_Fairfarren, _Cotie," the bloodhound said. "And thank you."

"No, Bayard," the Betweenling cat replied as she drifted away. "Thank _you._"

Stayne looked up in panic as he felt the winds tug.

"No!" he cried. "Alice, help me! Please! I don't want to die!"

He flew head over heels towards the window, Malloran alongside him. Stayne grabbed at Hatter as he passed, trying to pull him along with him. Alice ran forward and pulled Hatter away from the edge.

"Noooo…" she heard Stayne wail as he vanished into the Between.

* * *

Suddenly, a bright light shone from somewhere behind Mallymkun.

"Go, go!" the dormice and humans urged. "Get out while you can!"

"You mean live again?" Mallymkun gasped. "But why me? Why not you all?"

They were pushing her, urging her on.

"Just go…"

"Go now…leave…live…"

"Tell Tarrant that we forgive him…"

"Go, Mallymkun. Be well."

The last speaker was a pretty, dark-haired woman in a red and black dress. She wore a ruby-studded circlet upon her now normal-sized head, and her smile was that of a person who had finally found peace.

Mallymkun turned and ran. She ran even as her clothes tore and cuts on her limbs opened and bled, and then her vision faded away completely. As she succumbed to the pain and collapsed to the ground, a name escaped her throat.

"_Tarrant…"_

* * *

The winds stopped, and the window connecting Underland and the Between slammed shut.


	16. Chapter 16

"Hatter? Tarrant?"

Alice's hand lightly pulled at his arm, which still held the sword out rigidly. At her touch, he dropped it. It made a dull thud when it hit the ground.

"I'm fine," he said. Alice thought that he sounded anything but.

"Your majesty," the Rook said as he approached them. "As far as I can tell, the casualties received in this battle aren't life-threatening or permanent. However…" He had to pause before continuing. "Ace of Hearts breathed his last just a few minutes ago."

"Oh, no," Alice whispered. "I'm so sorry, Rook. He was your friend?"

The Rook nodded. "During the Red Queen's reign, we nearly killed each other once or twice," he reminisced. "I'm glad we never succeeded. He was an excellent leader, very brave. And he was a good friend. Before he died, he asked me to thank you for everything… 'Long live Queen Alice,' he said."

"I'm afraid the Ace is not the only one we have to mourn," Chessur said, materializing at Alice's other side.

"Chessur," she said. "You all arrived just in time…who do you mean?"

"We found Mallymkun." The Cat's voice was grave. "She's with the doctor now…but she won't be needing him, not anymore."

"Mallymkun…Oh, Hatter!" Alice suddenly understood his stillness. "Hatter, I'm so sorry."

Tarrant shook his head slowly. "There's nothing to worry about. Nothing to anger about." He sat down on the ground. "But now it's just too empty in here."

Alice sat down next to him, placing an arm around his shoulders.

"We'll all miss her, Tarrant," Chessur said, not smiling for once.

"And we'll all be here for you," Alice added. "We won't be able to fill the space she's left behind, but we might be able to make it a little better."

A Seven card ran up to Chessur. "The doctor's looking for you, for some reason," he said. Chessur raised an eyebrow and evaporated.

"It's not just _her _who's gone," Tarrant whispered to Alice. "Ever since Horunvendush Day, if things were bad, I could go away and let the Hatter handle things…but I don't think I'll be able to do that anymore. There's just one in here now, Alice. And I don't know whether or not to like it."

"You'll figure it out," Alice said, managing a little smile. "But I doubt that the Hatter would ever abandon you."

Tarrant wiped away a tear that was making its way down Alice's cheek. His own face was dry, but very sad.

Suddenly, Chessur materialized, smiling fit to burst.

"You two should come quickly," he said.

"What is it?" Alice asked.

The Cheshire Cat's tail twitched excitedly.

"I think the doctor should explain. Now, are you coming?"

* * *

"What's the matter, Doctor?" Alice asked as they walked into his house in the village.

"I'm not exactly sure how to explain it," the doctor said, motioning for Alice and Tarrant to sit down at the table in the small room. "In fact, I _can't _explain it. It's nothing short of a miracle…"

"Oh, please, cut the theatrics and _tell _them!" Chessur said impatiently.

"It's the dormouse that was brought in earlier," the doctor said. "Well…she's not dead anymore."

"What?" Alice gasped. Tarrant looked up from the table sharply.

"She's alive?" he whispered. "How?"

The doctor shrugged. "I was studying her corpse, and she took a breath," he said. "I'm absolutely positive that she was dead just a few minutes ago. But then she took a breath, tried to sit up, and said, 'Tarrant.'"

"I must see her. Now." Tarrant was already out of his chair.

The doctor frowned. "I shouldn't let you. She's in a very bad state of health. I've dressed her wounds, but what she needs most of all is rest…"

"_This _is her Tarrant," Alice told the doctor. "Give him five minutes."

The doctor relented, reluctantly.

"It's a wonder that _anyone _could handle that number of wounds, especially just a dormouse," he commented as Tarrant opened the door to the next room.

Chessur chuckled. "With Mallymkun, the phrase 'just a dormouse' takes on a completely different meaning. Let me tell you what she did to the Jubjub bird…"

* * *

Mallymkun was lying on a pillow on a bed that was probably used to larger patients. She was bandaged almost all over her body, but her face was visible. Tarrant sat down on the bed.

"I guess it wasn't _fairfarren _after all," he said.

"Tarrant!" Mallymkun exclaimed. Her voice, although still soft, was much stronger than it had been before. She held up a paw, and Tarrant placed his index finger in it.

"The doctor says you'll heal," he said.

"Of course, I will," the Dormouse replied. "Tell me honestly, Tarrant, how are you?"

Tarrant hesitated. "I was shattered," he admitted. "Completely broken. But you're putting me back together."

"I don't want to be the only thing holding you together," Mallymkun said. "Anything can happen, we've just seen that. I don't want losing _me _to mean losing _you._"

"Mally, I promise you, I can deal with myself. But there won't be a need to."

"You don't know that," Mallymkun sighed. "But let's not worry about that right now," she added, tightening her grip on his finger.

"Agreed," Tarrant said. "Right now, I'm just so glad you're alive."

"You didn't do anything foolish while I was away, did you?"

Tarrant smiled wryly. "I cut off the Lord of Between's head."

Mallymkun laughed softly. "And Chessur says that I'm the reckless, love-struck idiot." She pulled his finger close for a kiss. "I'm glad that you did it, though. If I were Queen, you'd be my Champion."

"Any time, your highness," Tarrant teased.

The door opened. "Times up," the doctor said. "She needs rest."

Tarrant nodded, then leaned forward to give Mallymkun a good-bye kiss on her forehead. Just before he pulled away, the Dormouse whispered to him:

"_They forgive you._"

He stared at her for a moment, then comprehension dawned.

Tarrant Hightopp left the doctor's house in a much better mood than he had been in for many years.

_**Until the next adventure, fairfarren.**_


	17. Epilogue

**Author's Note: **Ever since I finished the story, this epilogue has been running around in my head! I hope that you enjoy!

The cool morning air flowed over Mallymkun as she stood on the balcony outside her and Tarrant's room at the White Castle. She had been standing there for several minutes, leaning against a post of the stone railing and letting herself feel like a part of the soft sounds around her. Now, she could feel warmth from the sun as it began to rise up from below the horizon.

Part of her wished that she could see it. Most of her was just glad that she could hold witness to it in this way, rather than never again experiencing a sunrise. Nearly two months had passed since the event that Underlanders were now calling the Battle of the Between. She'd spent most of that time recovering from the numerous injuries she'd gained at the hands of the now-defeated Lord of Between. Now she was well, although it sometimes still hurt to move and she often found herself short of breath. Many times, she'd woken up in the middle of the night panicking from nightmares and convinced that she had died in her sleep. Since she had no eyesight, it was very hard to tell, but Tarrant was always there to comfort her.

This past night, she'd moved from the castle infirmary to his bedroom. Just before dawn, her nightmares had woken her again. To avoid waking Tarrant, she'd carefully gotten off of the bed and made her way to the balcony. She didn't want him to worry about anything. There had been more than enough to worry about lately.

Mallymkun heard and felt footsteps behind her, and she knew that Tarrant was awake, too. Neither of them said anything for a while, as he did not wish to startle her and she was enjoying her relaxation.

"Is it a beautiful sunrise?" the dormouse finally asked.

Tarrant looked out at the sky. "It is," he replied, gently picking her up. "But not nearly as beautiful as you are."

Mallymkun laughed softly. She knew that, with her destroyed face, she was anything but beautiful.

"I mean it," Tarrant said. "I'm not talking about surface beauty, Mally. I've known you for a long time, and I've experienced the many sides of your personality. Some have caressed me, and some have bitten me, but they all mix together to form the beautiful symphony that is Mallymkun. When I look at you, I don't see a little mouse with a scarred face, but a strong, wonderful person who jumps into every fray without hesitation and who would go to any lengths for the people she cares about. And _that's _more beautiful than any sunrise."

It sounded to the dormouse like he had rehearsed that speech, probably while she had been in the infirmary. She didn't know how to respond. A good portion of her life had been spent willing words like that to come out of his mouth.

"Tarrant, I…" Her voice trailed off.

"I want to ask you something," Tarrant said, placing her down on the railing so that she faced him. "It's something that I've wanted to ask you since that day in the Tulgey Woods, when you told me that you loved me."

Mallymkun didn't dare say a word.

"Something changed inside of me after you said that to me," the man continued. "Suddenly, I was looking at my life from a different angle. I looked very closely at the parts of my life that involved you. I looked at those parts of my life without the drive for revenge that had occupied my thoughts and passions for a very long time, and I realized that, strange as it seemed, if I wasn't thinking about what would avenge my family, during those parts I was thinking of you. I was thinking of the brave, witty, and caring dormouse who was always there, trying to help. She was a dormouse who was an ally, a friend, and eventually…a love."

He paused for a moment, and Mallymkun heard him shift position.

"I know that you can't see it, but I'm down on one knee," Tarrant said, reaching up and taking her front paws in his hands. "I love you, Mallymkun. Will you marry me?"

How many times had a similar scenario played in her head? Time and time again, she had imagined the question being posed and herself saying yes…but now that the fantasy had become reality, she found that she was so overcome by emotion that she could not say a word.

"Mallymkun?" Her silence was making Tarrant nervous. He had planned this moment so carefully, even going to Alice to ask her the right way to propose marriage. He'd wanted it to be perfect for Mallymkun, because he knew that it was what she wanted… _Then why hasn't she answered? _he thought.

Mallymkun dropped to her own knees, pulling Tarrant's hands to her mouth and kissing his fingertips.

"Yes!" she whispered. "Oh, yes, Tarrant, yes!"

Overjoyed, Tarrant kissed her, too.

"How sweet," Chessur commented as he materialized in midair off of the balcony.

"Chessur!" Mallymkun exclaimed, recognizing his voice and flushing slightly in embarrassment.

"Now, if you two would kindly tell me when the wedding is, so that I'll be able to crash it?" the Cheshire Cat purred.

"Crash it?" Tarrant asked in confusion. "You're invited. Right, Mally?"

Mallymkun nodded. "We do need a Best Cat," she said.

Now Chessur was the one who was speechless.

"Well, I…" he stammered, unsure how to express gratitude. "Will I get to wear the hat?" he finally said.

"No!" Tarrant exclaimed, placing a hand on the brim of his top hat protectively, but smiling widely nonetheless. Mallymkun laughed.

* * *

"I feel absolutely silly in this thing," Mallymkun said, fingering the silky fabric of her wedding dress.

"But you look absolutely gorgeous," Bielle assured her.

Mallymkun frowned, touching the thin veil over her face. "I want a second opinion."

"Well, _I _think that you look absolutely delicious," Chessur said, materializing above the dormouse.

"Chessur!" Alice exclaimed, getting up from her seat. "Women _only _in here!"

The cat laughed and evaporated. Mallymkun sighed and sat down on the floor. The three of them were in a room in Tarrant's house, which would soon also be Mallymkun's. It had quickly become an impromptu dressing room for the bride.

"Tell me honestly," Mallymkun said, facing upwards to Alice. "Can you see my face through this?"

"No," Alice said. At that, the dormouse pulled off the veil, revealing her mutilated face.

"I don't care if it's 'traditional,' I'm not hiding these scars," she said. "They're too much a part of me. And this dress! How could anyone run in it, let alone carry a sword at her waist?"

"You don't have to wear it if you don't want to," Bielle said. "It's _your_ wedding."

"It's also Tarrant's," Mallymkun pointed out. "And he made the dress. I don't want to make him feel bad, but…I can't do this! It's not _me. _Can't you understand?"

"I can," Alice said, thinking about her own almost-engagement. That day, she'd worn her dress, but had forgone the corset and stockings. It had made her feel better about the day, and almost no one had noticed…

The young queen's face lit up. "I have an idea," she said. "I'm sure that Tarrant won't mind if you don't use the veil, but as for the dress…"

* * *

The gathering in the clearing was small. Tarrant and Mallymkun hadn't invited very many people. Alice and Chessur were there, of course, as well as Bayard and his family, Uilleam, Nivens, Thackery, and the Tweedles. Absolem had appeared in the Woods earlier that day, and Alice had quickly suggested that he officiate the wedding. The blue butterfly had agreed, although he had also expressed his opinion that weddings did not require the speeches and flamboyance they were surrounded by in Overland—merely a short introduction and the vows.

As the ceremony itself would be short, the guests stood. The clearing had been cleaned up but not especially decorated, but the dimming light of evening provided a romantic atmosphere. The tea table had been set up with a clean, white tablecloth and a fresh meal. Absolem sat on a rock, and Tarrant stood next to it, looking unusually well-groomed. The guests stood in a group nearby.

The door to Tarrant's house opened, and Alice stepped out, holding Mallymkun in one hand. She advanced a few steps and then placed the dormouse on the ground so that she could walk the rest of the way. Mallymkun was wearing the dress, white silk flowing in layers over her figure, just long enough to touch the ground. Her face was unhidden, and while she still couldn't see, she walked straight forward without stumbling until she reached the rock. Tarrant bent down to pick her up, his fingers sliding momentarily across the scars on her face as he lifted her to his level.

Absolem took a whiff from his hookah, and then he began to speak.

"On this day, Juluru Day, we are here to witness the marriage of Tarrant Hightopp and Mallymkun. As all here know, they have stood side by side almost since Horunvendush Day, working together to aid Underland. In more recent times, they have turned their efforts towards each other, pursuing and protecting each other to and from the brink of death, going so far as to defy the Between so that they may be together. Although they have not emerged from their experiences unscathed, their adoration and loyalty to each other remain ever untarnished. I believe that I am right in saying that all gathered here wish for only good in their future, and for them to never have to be parted after this day.

"Tarrant Hightopp, do you take Mallymkun to be your wife, and that, as long as you are alive and able, you will be there for her, be true to her, and respect her, no matter what the circumstance?"

"I do," Tarrant replied.

"And Mallymkun, do you take Tarrant Hightopp to be your husband, and that, as long as you are alive and able, you will be there for him, be true to him, and respect him, no matter what the circumstance?"

"I do," Mallymkun said, trembling slightly with emotion.

"Then by the authority I hold as Absolem of Underland, I pronounce you husband and wife."

Tarrant brought Mallymkun up to his lips and kissed her as the guests cheered. Mallymkun caressed her husband's face, almost unable to believe how lucky she was.

Everyone stayed for the dinner, which was a very merry affair of good food, chatter, and ducking the occasional cup or saucer that Thackery threw. While the newlyweds enjoyed the meal and the company, it wasn't very long before Mallymkun found she was growing increasingly uncomfortable with all the attention and began to retreat more and more often to Tarrant's hand. Eventually, the hatter excused the two of them from the table and walked off into the Woods.

"What's the matter, Mallymkun?" Tarrant asked softly, placing her on his shoulder as they wandered off.

The dormouse shrugged. "It's silly. I can face the Bandersnatch and Jabberwocky, but not a wedding crowd…I guess I just, well, I want some time alone with you…"

"There will be an abundance of time alone together," Tarrant said.

"You don't—you don't know that—not for sure…"

Mallymkun's voice was broken by sobs. Although her face was ever dry, Tarrant could tell that she was crying.

"Mally, Mally," he crooned, sitting down on a tree stump and cradling her against his chest. "Tell me what's wrong, Mally, please. Why aren't you happy today?"

"I _am _happy—Oh, Tarrant, this is the happiest day of my—of my whole life… I was just thinking about—about _death._"

"Hush now," Tarrant whispered. "That won't be a problem, Mally, it never will."

The dormouse still did not calm down.

"I'm hardly young, Mally," Tarrant said. "I understand that life comes to a close. That's what you're worried about, isn't it? Not your death, but my handling it. There was one night that I stayed up with you in the infirmary, when you suddenly awoke, screaming 'How could you? You have so much to live!' You had dreamed that I'd committed suicide after your own death, didn't you?"

Mallymkun nodded. She remembered that dream—it was a recurring one, and the one that had woken her the day Tarrant had proposed to her.

"Once upon a time, that may have become true," said the man. "But I've done a lot of thinking since that time, Mallymkun, and I'm not nearly so extreme anymore. You have nothing to worry about. If you die first, I'll miss you, but I'll treasure the days we had together and continue to live. I'll have Alice and Chessur to help me. I only hope that you will do the same if I am the one who dies first. Besides, it's not like we'd never see each other again."

"No," Mallymkun said, managing a small smile. "It's not."

As he held her close, Tarrant felt something that confused him on his wife's legs. He glanced beneath her dress. She was wearing her breeches and hatpin.

"Prepared as always, I see," Tarrant said, lifting her up to his face. "I love you, Mallymkun."

"And I love you, Tarrant," she replied, brushing her lips against his cheek.

"Now, shall we rejoin our party?" her husband asked.

"Yes," replied his wife.

As they headed back to the clearing and the friends and house that awaited them there, both man and dormouse felt certain that they would be able to handle any obstacle that life chose to throw at them in the future, now that they were together at last.


End file.
